The Rohingya refugees community arrived in Malaysian shores in the late eighties. The majority of them are resided in various parts of the country, including Klang Valley, Penang, Johor, Kedah, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan and Terengganu. According to the census of June 2010, the total number of refugees registered with UNHCR is estimated at 20,000. However, there are still about 10,000 of them who are not UNHCR card holders.
On the average the Rohingya community who came to Malaysia is relatively unschooled and lacking Islamic knowledge. This is because in their homeland in Arakan district (now known as ‘Rakhine State’) the Rohingyas are discriminated by the military regime on the basis of race and religion. They are denied of religious freedom and the rights of citizenship. They are robed on their land and many of them are forced to flee their villages, ending up as refugees in neighbouring countries (including Malaysia).
They also do not have any form of identification such as birth certificates, national registration identity card.
As stateless people, the children of the Rohingyas are denied the opportunity to enter government aided schools in Malaysia owing to legal constraints. It is beyond their means to seek private education.
It is against this background that the Rohingya Religious Council (MUR) was established at Tanjung Karang, Selangor Darul Ehsan on 6 April 2004.
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