Deborah Augustin speaks to Matilda Xavier, Clinical Psychologist, and Bo Min Naing, president of the Rohingya Society in Malaysia. They talk about the stigma around mental health in the refugee community, how they have been coping with it during the pandemic, and how some communities are affected more than others.
Tag: Refugees
Posted inFeature
Malaysia’s Hypocrisy on Palestine
For Malaysian politicians, speaking out in support of Palestinians is a well-worn tradition, especially when Israeli oppression makes headlines. However, by depriving refugees of basic rights at home, these same leaders undermine the Palestinian cause, writes Wael Qarssifi.
Posted inPodcast
Heroes by Necessity: Reframing Refugee Stories
Deborah Augustin speaks to Monique Truong and Leena Al-Mujahed, two women who have experienced forced displacement and continue to face their circumstances and obstacles with courage.
Posted inPodcast
Empowering Refugee Youth Through Education
Htoi San Nhkum, director of the Kachin Refugee Learning Center, and Abeera Abdullah, a Fugee School alumni and the co-founder of Project Stand Up, talk about their educational experience in learning centres here in Malaysia and the impact the pandemic has had on the informal education system for refugee children.
Posted inFeature
In Malaysia, Undocumented Women Fear Arrest During Pregnancy
High costs and fear of arrest have long stood in the way of maternal healthcare access for undocumented migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. The COVID-19 pandemic has put mothers and babies further at risk.
Posted inResearch
The Citizens’ Agenda: The Parties Respond
Nearly a year ago, we embarked on the Citizens’ Agenda: our quest to find out what our Singaporean community thinks are the most important issues facing Singapore, and then to write and commission articles on those subjects. Now, with Singapore’s General Election looming, we complete our journey by telling you how the political parties responded to the issues.
Posted inFeature
Once a Safe Haven, Bangkok Now a “Hunting Ground” for Dissidents
Asylum seekers and dissidents have fled Laos, Cambodia and other nations to Thailand to avoid political persecution. While they wait for UN refugee status, they are surveilled by authorities, disappeared from Bangkok streets and forcibly repatriated or jailed.
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Posted inFeature
Campaign of Hate? Fake News and Anti-Refugee Rhetoric in Malaysia
Hate speech targeting refugees in Malaysia, often rooted in false information, has spread online as the nation stares down the threat of COVID-19. The allegedly organised rhetoric has turned some against refugees and migrants alike.
Posted inFeature
“The Fear Is Always With Me”: Refugees in Malaysia Recount Recent Lockdowns and Raids
Since Malaysia imposed a Movement Control Order amid the COVID-19 pandemic, immigration raids following strict lockdown orders have affected refugees, asylum seekers and migrant workers. In addition to the virus, these communities must also cope with persistent fears of possible arrest and deportation.
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Posted inPodcast
Citizen of the Earth: A Refugee Speaks Out
During the COVID-19 pandemic, society’s most vulnerable are at risk in several ways. Refugees and migrants in particular, whether documented or undocumented, face challenges such as having inadequate access to healthcare, reduced income and overall increased precarity. It becomes even more complicated when their host countries do not recognise their rights.
On this week’s episode of Southeast Asia Dispatches, membership engagement manager, Deborah Augustin speaks to a journalist, writer and observer about the rise in xenophobia in Malaysia towards migrants and refugees. We’ve kept our guest’s identity anonymous out of concerns for his safety.