Myanmar government rejects use of term ‘Rohingya’ in CNA programme, says Rohingya ‘never existed’ as an ethnic identity
CNA stands by its reporting, which was based on attributable sources and presented with appropriate context, including the Myanmar government’s position.
by Fabian Koh · CNA · JoinRead a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
SINGAPORE: The Myanmar military government has taken issue with a recent CNA current affairs programme which examined the plight of the Rohingya community in Malaysia - alleging that some information was “unsubstantiated by historical evidence” and allegations that could undermine Myanmar’s image.
In a statement dated Oct 22, which was put up on the website of Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Myanmar embassy in Singapore said: “Myanmar categorically rejects the nomenclature that falsely claims the so-called ‘Rohingya’ as an ethnic identity which has never existed in Myanmar. The term ‘Bengali’ has existed in Myanmar as proven by historical official records, including the censuses during the British colonial administration. Therefore, the remarks using such terminology are unacceptable.”
In response, CNA executive producer Daniel Heng pointed out that the use of the term “Rohingya” is consistent with established international usage and widely accepted journalistic practice.
The term Rohingya is used by major international organisations, including the United Nations, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Court of Justice, Doctors Without Borders and Oxfam, as well as international news organisations such as the BBC, CNN, Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
CNA Games
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
Show More
Show Less
“Given that the documentary examines the situation of the Rohingya community in Malaysia, it is also pertinent that the term Rohingya is used by the Malaysian government in parliamentary proceedings and public discourse and by Malaysian media such as the New Straits Times (NST),” said Mr Heng.
The CNA weekly current affairs programme, Insight: Malaysia’s Rohingya Riddle, aired on Oct 15 and was uploaded the next day on CNA Insider's YouTube page.
Insight is CNA’s international award-winning one-hour current affairs programme that aims to expose viewers to the political, social and economic realities facing today's societies. This episode explored Malaysia’s balance between humanitarian concerns and national interests, as Rohingya who had been offered refuge now face rising hostility and political pressure.
It has been more than five years since Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup, ousting the elected government.
In its statement, the Myanmar government included copies of Myanmar’s census reports from 1881, 1921 and 1931. It also said that it “prioritises provision of necessary assistance to Myanmar citizens facing difficulties abroad”.
“Recently, following the verification process, 8,041 Myanmar nationals were repatriated to Myanmar by air on a weekly basis. Moreover, 1,476 verified Myanmar nationals who could not afford airfare were repatriated by Myanmar Navy vessels,” the statement said.
“Myanmar firmly rejects politically motivated broadcasts intended to exert international pressure on the country. Such broadcasts must not link the repatriation of Myanmar nationals from Malaysia with the separate issue of Bengalis who have illegally entered Malaysia. These statements constitute fabricated propaganda aimed at inciting hatred against Myanmar and its people. Myanmar is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country where people of different faiths have lived side by side in harmony.”
The embassy’s Chargé d'Affaires Zaw Minn Aung also sent a letter of protest addressed to CNA’s editor-in-chief to express its “strong objection to the unverified information contained in the documentary that fails to accurately reflect the situation on the ground”.
Mr Heng noted that the CNA programme did not overlook or misrepresent the Myanmar government’s position. It explicitly acknowledged this position, stating that “Myanmar authorities and nationalist groups have frequently rejected the term ‘Rohingya’ and instead described the community as ‘Bengali’, implying that they consist of relatively recent migrants from Bangladesh.”
Regarding the reported agreement for Myanmar to accept 5,000 Rohingya refugees from Malaysia, the documentary drew on remarks made by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during a speech, as reported by the NST in July 2026.
"Now, because of our good relations with Myanmar, they have agreed to take back 5,000 from Malaysia," Mr Anwar was quoted by NST saying.
NST also reported Mr Anwar saying his government would continue to act firmly against Rohingya refugees who disrupted public spaces and traffic, and that he has “instructed the police and border authorities that I do not want Rohingya disrupting roads or public places”.
The CNA programme also expressly clarified that the approximately 1,500 Myanmar nationals recently repatriated from Malaysia did not include Rohingya.
“CNA stands by its reporting, which was based on attributable sources and presented with appropriate context, including the Myanmar government’s position. We remain committed to accurate, balanced, and contextual journalism,” said Mr Heng.
Newsletter
Morning Brief
Subscribe to CNA’s Morning Brief
An automated curation of our top stories to start your day.
Sign up for our newsletters
Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app