Asean should call a spade a spade on situation in Rakhine

I refer to the report “Malaysia disassociates itself from Asean’s Rohingya statement” (Sept 26) and regret the statement by the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean).

It empathised with Myanmar’s military by stating that the foreign ministers acknowledged that the situation in Rakhine is a complex inter-communal issue with deep historical roots.

When we have ancestors such as traders, sepoys and convicts from India whose progeny could become Singaporean citizens, why can it not be a similar case in Myanmar for the Rohingya?

What is so special about Myanmar that its citizens may get citizenship outside the country, but the Rohingya who have lived there for centuries are denied their rights?

The Asean statement proved that the foreign ministers did not want to call a spade a spade. The Rohingya are a hapless people, but the ministers may not have liked to acknowledge the reality of genocide.

I wonder whether Asean must stoop so low for a slice of the pie from Myanmar’s development. Only Malaysia showed its human side, and kudos to it for its stand.