The Commission commends the Malaysian government for its efforts in providing humanitarian aid to alleviate the sufferings of the Rohingyas, and for taking a firm stance against the atrocities and human rights violations committed against the Rohingya community and for calling for an end to the violence in the Rakhine State of Myanmar. The Commission hopes that the Malaysian government will continue to be at the forefront in raising the plight of the Rohingyas. While welcoming the government’s pilot project to provide Rohingyas in Malaysia with access to employment, the Commission calls upon the government to extend such opportunities to other refugees. A lot more needs to be done to address the gaps in safeguarding the rights of all refugees in Malaysia particularly their right to education and healthcare and to be free from discrimination and mistreatment. 2. MALAYSIA’S BID FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL The Human Rights Council (HRC) serves as the principal body within the UN system for deliberations and decisions on human rights matters. The HRC is made up of 47 members who are elected by the UN General Assembly from amongst UN member states. A seat at the HRC is a prestigious and an extremely important position as countries assuming such a role are supposed to demonstrate the highest level of commitment and devotion to human rights. S U H A K A M A N N U A L R EPOR T 2017 51 1 In the course of the year, the Malaysian government has also sent humanitarian missions to Myanmar and to refugee camps located near Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya’s have sought refuge. In addition, the Malaysian government has also decided to build a field hospital at the refugee camp to provide medical and healthcare treatments to the Rohingya refugees. C H A P T E R In January 2017, the Malaysia government convened an Extraordinary Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers to deliberate on the situation of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar. The Extraordinary Session resulted in an OIC Resolution and Communique, in which the OIC urged the Myanmar government to, among other things, restore peace and inter-communal harmony, restore citizenship for the Rohingyas, as well as take measures for the safe return of Rohingya refugees to the Rakhine State and for an effective reconciliation process.