We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.
– Winston Churchill, British prime minister from 1940-1945
I am taking a break from Covid-19 to concentrate on the Rohingya issue this week.
These displaced people are hitting the headlines again in the local mainstream media and social media after our security forces recently pushed back to sea a boatful of 200 Rohingya refugees off the coast.
News of this went down badly with the existing tens of thousands of Rohingya in Malaysia, many of whom are taking refuge in Selayang, Selangor — out of Malaysian kindness and hospitality.
Leaders of the community were reported to have allegedly demanded equal rights for their people, including citizenship and Selayang be set aside for them.
This infuriated Malaysians and they took to social media to let off a wave of xenophobic attacks against the community.
Many expressed shock at the unreasonable demands, with one even branding them as “ungrateful refugees”.
Now, let me stop here and tell you a story we grew up with.
One cold night in a desert, an Arab decided to stop and make camp. He tied his camel outside. But as the night grew colder, his camel peeped inside and asked, “Master, it’s freezing cold outside. May I put my head inside your tent?”
The Arab decided to let the camel put its head inside the tent. “It is damn cold tonight. The poor camel will freeze if left outside,” he thought.
No sooner had he dozed off, then the camel asked if it could put its neck inside the tent as well. Once again, the Arab allowed him to do so. But the camel was still not satisfied.
“Master, it is very difficult for me to stand with my head hanging inside the tent like this. Can I put in my forelegs as well?”
The kind Arab took pity on the poor animal and agreed to its request.
Not long after, the camel said, “My dear master, as it is, I am keeping the entrance of the tent open, could I stand within the tent? It would be more comfortable that way.”
Again the Arab agreed. “Yes, yes, you can stand within the tent. I pity you. It is a cold night after all.”
The camel was now completely inside the tent.
One would have thought the Arab and his camel would have slept peacefully after that. No! It so turned out the tent was too small for both of them.
The camel called out again. “What is it?” asked the Arab who had become irritated by now.
Asked the camel, “Could you sleep outside? It is uncomfortable this way, and this tent cannot house both of us!”
That was the last straw. The Arab lost his temper and kicked his camel out. Shutting the entrance of the tent tightly, he slept peacefully after that.
So, what’s the moral of the story?
Simple, we should be careful before we extend our hospitality lest our guests take undue advantage of our magnanimity and generosity.
In the case of the Rohingya, can we blame our people if they feel that the ‘guests’, whom they had been kind to, are going overboard with their demands? Give them an inch and they’ll take a yard.
Their demands are ridiculous. How could they demand that Selayang be given to them? They are illegal immigrants, given life by the Malaysian government, on humanitarian grounds.
They don’t have the right as refugees. The UNHCR cards that they hold are no more than just kindness on the part of the Malaysian government. They carry no right whatsoever.
Have they forgotten that we have given all sorts of assistance to them? Besides the protection given to these refugees, we are also managing a field hospital at a refugee camp in Bangladesh.
In the past we have helped Bosnians, Palestinians and even Bangladeshis. Bear in mind that our willingness to assist on humanitarian grounds should not be misconstrued as a signal for anyone to take advantage of our kindness and hospitality.
These people are here as “temporary guests”. As hosts, we will do our best to make them comfortable, not hungry, have proper clothes and accommodation.
In return, please don’t overstay your welcome. More importantly, don’t make unreasonable demands. Eat, stay and leave when the time comes. Don’t end up like the camel.
