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🇸🇬 Singapore /Culture & Society

Rohingya schools in Malaysia face closures amid online surge in hate speech

From The Straits Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Rohingya refugee schools in Malaysia are facing potential closures due to a rise in online hate speech.
  • A 12-year-old Rohingya girl stopped attending school after receiving threats from two men.
  • The surge in online hate speech targeting the Rohingya community is creating a hostile environment, impacting their access to education.

Schools for Rohingya refugees in Malaysia are under threat of closure, a consequence of escalating online hate speech targeting the community. This worrying trend is directly impacting the safety and educational access for Rohingya children in the country.

One stark example is Nur, a 12-year-old Rohingya Muslim refugee. She has been unable to attend school since June after facing intimidation from two men who threatened her on her way to class. This incident highlights the real-world dangers fueled by online rhetoric.

The proliferation of hateful content online is creating an increasingly hostile environment for the Rohingya population in Malaysia. This atmosphere of fear and discrimination is forcing vulnerable families to reconsider their children's safety, potentially leading to the cessation of vital educational services for a community already facing immense challenges.

Nur is a 12-year-old Rohingya Muslim refugee in Malaysia who has stopped going to school since June, after two men threatened to beat her on her way to class.

— Nur (age 12)Illustrating the direct impact of threats and fear on a Rohingya child's access to education.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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