UNHCR Cards Review Gains Media Interest
The breakout of 528 Rohingya refugees from the centre in Kedah that occurred on 20th April continue to receive the media attention until now.
As the government has managed to detain most of the runaway refugees, the Home Minister, Hamzah Zainuddin recently said that the government will review the issuance of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cards to Rohingya refugees in the country.
The statements made by Hamzah have become among the media focus during the stated period in the Rohingya topic. The Home Minister further stated that the study had to be done following the escape of hundreds of Rohingya detainees from the Sungai Bakap immigration detention depot near Bandar Baharu on 20th April.
Human Rights Commision of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) has urged the government to consider enabling the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to give UNHCR cards to all Rohingya refugees.
This has made SUHAKAM appear in the top ten of organisations that have been mentioned the most in the media with the total of 7 news made in regards to the Rohingya topic for a 3 days period.
On 25th April, media had shared a few news related to SUHAKAM on Rohingya topics including the issuance of the UNHCR cards to Rohingya ethnic refugees especially to those who were involved in the riot in Sungai Bakap immigration detention depot recently.
Apart from that, SUHAKAM reminded the government of its responsibilities under the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) after two Rohingya children were killed while attempting to cross a highway after fleeing from an immigration detention depot.
Since Rohingya refugees issues has been widely discussed among the media organisations, the trending keywords on Rohingya topic are most likely related to the issue such as ‘bandar baharu’, ‘tahanan etnik rohingya’ and ‘depot imigresen relau’.
As seen, Malay and English media have been reporting about the Rohingya topic from 20th April to 25th April. Malay media, Sinar Harian ranked first in the list of media share on Rohingya topics in the date stated, with a total of 40 news reports. Meanwhile, English media, The Sun Daily appeared first in the list despite being one of the media which shared the most on Rohingya topics in the period of 23 April to 25 April.