A coalition of 17 Rohingya-linked groups based in Myanmar and Malaysia have distanced their community here from purported statements made by the president of the Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia (Merhrom), Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani.

According to their joint statement, the groups issued an apology to the Malaysian government and Malaysians in general for statements attributed to Zafar (photo) which had sparked "unprecedented negative sentiments among some Malaysians" against Rohingya refugees here.