Former MP Charles Santiago has criticised recent messaging linked to Jabatan Komunikasi Komuniti (JKOM), warning that it risks fuelling prejudice and undermining national unity.
In a series of posts, Santiago questioned the intent behind a reported call to “Jom Pantau Rohingya,” saying such language contradicts JKOM’s stated role of fostering cohesion.
“JKOM exists to build unity, not to make vulnerable communities public targets,” he said, adding that the phrasing raises concerns over who is being included in that vision of unity.
He stressed that the Rohingya, a stateless minority long subjected to persecution, should not be framed as a threat.
“They are not criminals by virtue of identity,” he said. “Singling them out amounts to scapegoating.”
Santiago also warned that statements from public officials carry weight, particularly in an already tense climate marked by anti-Rohingya sentiment.
“Words from officials don’t exist in a vacuum,” he said, cautioning that such rhetoric could embolden harassment, vigilantism and collective suspicion.
Drawing on historical patterns, he noted that dehumanisation often begins with language.
“It rarely starts with mobs, but with officials who choose their words carelessly or deliberately,” he said, urging authorities to refrain from what he described as harmful rhetoric.
“Stop the hate speech now.” – June 14, 2026
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