Securing peace in Myanmar, addressing refugee crisis a priority
PUTRAJAYA: Securing peace in Myanmar and addressing the refugee crisis are among Malaysia's priorities, particularly in supporting Bangladesh, which has been burdened with hosting large numbers of displaced persons, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister stressed that immediate humanitarian assistance must be extended to refugees and victims of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, while ensuring that efforts to resolve the crisis in Myanmar remain a priority in regional cooperation.
'I commend the Bangladeshi authorities for taking the initiative in multilateral forums in New York, Qatar and here in Malaysia.
'Our Foreign Minister (Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan) will coordinate a team with Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand to visit Myanmar in the next few weeks to ensure that peace is attained, and that atrocities against some ethnic minorities and the people of Myanmar can be amicably resolved,' he said.
Anwar said this in a press conference in conjunction with the three-day official visit of the Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh, Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus, to Malaysia from yesterday.
The Prime Minister described Yunus as a great friend of Malaysia who has made remarkable progress in ensuring peace and security in Bangladesh during the transition period, while continuing to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries in areas including trade, investment, culture and education.
Yunus, he said, is a well-known figure in Malaysia, especially for his work in uplifting the underprivileged community through microcredit initiatives, as well as for his contribution to education, particularly via the Albukhary International University in Kedah.
The social entrepreneur, economist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate is best known for pioneering microcredit and microfinance that provide small loans to impoverished individuals without requiring collateral, enabling them to start small businesses and break the cycle of poverty.
Anwar said Malaysia has placed Bangladesh as an important partner, noting the significant contributions of Bangladeshi workers to the country's development.
'That is why the Home Minister and the Human Resources Minister have agreed on a multiple-entry visa facility to assist workers so that they can visit their families while feeling secure in their jobs,' said the Prime Minister.
Earlier, Yunus was accorded an official welcome at the Perdana Putra Complex yesterday.
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