ID :
382469
Mon, 10/05/2015 - 06:45
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UNHCR Welcomes Malaysia's Generosity To Accept Syrian Refugees

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has welcomed the generosity of Malaysia to accept Syrian refugees to this country. UNHCR representative Richard Towle said even though the discussion on the matter with Malaysian government had not been made yet, UNHCR was ready to cooperate. "I think Malaysia can easily manage it (3,000 Syrian refugees) successfully," he told reporters after the launching of the refugee cookbook entitled "Taste From Home" here, Saturday night. Prime Minister Najib Razak, in his speech at the 70th General Assembly of the United Nations on Thursday had announced Malaysia's willingness to accept 3,000 Syrian refugees within the next three years to help in the refugee crisis involving Syrian citizens. Najib said Muslim nations were partly responsible for the well-being of the Syrians who were displaced from their country in large numbers, which had also caused economic and social stress in Europe. As end August of this year, there are 153,880 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR in Malaysia. The majority of them (93 percent) are from Myanmar, while others are from countries including Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Palestine. Meanwhile, elaborating on the launch of the cookbook, Towle said it aimed to provide readers a chance to see the human side of the refugee story through their cuisine and food. "It has been written, photographed in a period of one year by Haris Coussidis, an international photographer and professional cook. "It contains 55 recipes from 17 refugee home cooks from 11 countries living in this country. Now available for sale at UNHCR," he said. -- BERNAMA

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