A social media post of a alleged Rohingya family with children by a roadside in Shah Alam sparks debate on which authorities Malaysians should report to.
A social media post showing a woman with several young children, including a baby, by the roadside in Shah Alam has triggered widespread discussion online, with many Malaysians debating how such cases should be handled and which authorities should be alerted.
The photo, shared on Threads by user @ain.abd.rhmn, has attracted more than 7,300 likes and over 1,000 comments.
“If it’s something like this, which channel should we report it to? Police? Immigration? Welfare Department? Oh dear, and with a baby too. Are they Rohingya?” she wrote.
The image appeared to show a woman sitting beneath a tree with several children and an infant beside a roadside area.
The post prompted a flood of reactions, with many users speculating about the family’s background while expressing concern over the children’s welfare and safety.
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Several commenters claimed the family appeared to be Rohingya refugees, although no evidence was provided to verify their identity or nationality.
Others questioned why young children were being exposed to hot weather and potentially unsafe roadside conditions.
“Sometimes I don’t know what they are doing sitting by the roadside in the heat with their children. There are people like this at the Saville Melawati junction too. Sometimes even when it rains, they sit by the roadside and let the children play there. I really don’t understand,” one user commented.
The discussion also turned towards which agencies should be responsible for addressing such situations, with some suggesting reports be made to the police, immigration authorities, welfare agencies or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Several users raised concerns that children could be used to attract sympathy and donations from passers-by.
Others shared personal anecdotes and allegations regarding the behaviour of refugee communities, although many of the claims remained unverified and anecdotal.
