In Pictures

Rohingya footballers in Malaysia aim for recognition

Malaysia has been accepting Rohingya refugees but they are not given legal documentation and remain stateless.

The two teams, RFC and RFM, line up for the friendly football match which took place in Kuala Lumpur. [Al Jazeera]

27 Jun 2018

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Football is the word on everyone’s lips as World Cup 2018 moves towards the knockout rounds in Russia.

A few thousand kilometres away from where the action is, two Rohingya football teams faced each other in a quiet neighbourhood stadium in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur.

This was to bring inclusivity for their community in the country many of them have considered home for decades after fleeing their homeland.

Football is popular among the Rohingya and there exists more than 50 Rohingya football teams in Malaysia.

Although the match between Rohingya Football Club (RFC) and Rohingya Football Malaysia (RFM) ended in a 3-3 draw, the match, held during The Refugee Fest, an annual event organised in Kuala Lumpur, brought important issues to the limelight once again.

There are around 62,000 Rohingya living in Malaysia who are registered with UNHCR. However, a further 30,000 to 40,000 remain undocumented.

Malaysia has not signed the UN Convention on Refugees, but occasionally receives refugees on humanitarian grounds.

“Sports and arts are a non-threatening way of conveying a political message,” said Mahi Ramakhrisnan, founder of The Refugee Fest.

“They also give a sense of identity and self-respect to the refugees. This is important because their respective governments rob them of their dignity. The Rohingya footballers are incredibly talented and they hope to attend the 2020 edition of CONIFA World Cup in London.”

RFC was registered last year with CONIFA, the alternative World Cup for unrepresented football teams.

“This gives us a strong reason to go forward, getting not only Rohingya in Malaysia but also Rohingya players from different countries like Bangladesh, US and Australia to play for the side,” said Muhammad Nur, chairman of RFC.

“While many Rohingya live a peaceful life in Malaysia, our statelessness and lack of legal documentation does not allow us to leave the country.”

Team members hold their respective club flags before kick-off. Some of the Rohingya football players aim to become professional players but all of them have various jobs to support their families. [Al Jazeera]

A Rohingya man unfolds the Malaysian flag during the warmup session. A large number of Rohingya have arrived in Malaysia during the last 30 years. They have families with them now but their children are stateless and many are undocumented in the country they now call home. This hinders access to education, healthcare, work and travel. [Al Jazeera]

Most of the players from both sides only manage to train over the weekend or on weekdays after they finish work. [Al Jazeera]

Dil Dar has been living in Malaysia for the last 20 years. He has been the team's coach since its creation three years ago and is seen gathering his team for last-minute instructions. [Al Jazeera]

Family and friends cheer the players during the game. The occasional football gatherings are the main sporting events that bring the community together. "Sports bring people closer. It doesn't matter what religion, colour or cast you are, football is a sport and sport is unity," said one of the players. [Al Jazeera]

While the match ended in a 3-3 draw, players from both sides aimed to showcase their talent and gain recognition for the Rohingya community. [Al Jazeera]

Spirits were high in both sets of supporters. Football is popular in the Rohingya communities in Malaysia, with more than 50 Rohingya football teams around the country. [Al Jazeera]

Abdullah, an RFC player, doubles up as a linesman in the second half of the match. He arrived in Malaysia in 2013 alone but managed to bring his family four years later. Abdullah said he was fortunate to work as an electrician and car mechanic, skills that he acquired in Myanmar. [Al Jazeera]

Farouk Yusuf (C), 22, one of RFC's defenders, is lifted by his teammates after being injured during the match. Yusuf trains to be a professional footballer. He was born in Malaysia and went to a community school. "In 2014, I received an email from FC Barcelona after I sent them a 30-second video of me playing. They said they were interested and wanted me to come to Barcelona for a one-month trial. If selected, they would train me for three months. Unfortunately, I do not have a passport so I couldn't go," said Yusuf. [Al Jazeera]

Many of the Rohingya children living in Malaysia lack access to formal education. The ones that do go to school usually attend community or religious schools. [Al Jazeera]

RFM team on the attack against RFC during the football friendly on a sunny day in Kuala Lumpur. [Al Jazeera]

Fatimah cooks and sells food at every football event. Her husband plays in one of the local teams. She arrived in Malaysia as a child 30 years ago and has a family of six in the country. At every football event, she earns around MYR 50-70 ($12-16) from the food she sells. [Al Jazeera]

RFM players celebrate after the match. The Rohingya players in Malaysia dream to have the opportunity to play at an international level and represent their nation. [Al Jazeera]