Myanmar Rejects CNA Use of Rohingya Term
Myanmar's embassy in Singapore objected to CNA's use of the term 'Rohingya' in an October programme on the community in Malaysia.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Islam
The Myanmar embassy in Singapore issued a statement dated October 22 rejecting the term 'Rohingya' as an ethnic identity and calling information in CNA's Insight: Malaysia's Rohingya Riddle unsubstantiated. CNA executive producer Daniel Heng defended the term's use and stood by the programme's reporting.
Why it matters
The dispute centers on terminology for a stateless community whose identity Myanmar's government does not recognize, with the term itself used widely by international bodies and media. It highlights how contested naming can shape coverage of displacement and repatriation.
The Myanmar embassy's Chargé d'Affaires Zaw Minn Aung sent a letter of protest to CNA's editor-in-chief over the programme, which aired October 15 and was uploaded to YouTube October 16. The programme referenced approximately 1,500 repatriated Myanmar nationals excluding Rohingya, against a weekly air repatriation figure of 8,041.
The players
Channel News Asia (CNA)
Singapore's English-language news broadcaster, which produced the Insight programme examining the Rohingya community in Malaysia.
Daniel Heng
CNA's executive producer, who defended the use of the term Rohingya and stood by the programme's reporting.
Zaw Minn Aung
Chargé d'Affaires at the Myanmar embassy in Singapore, who sent the letter of protest to CNA's editor-in-chief.
The details
CNA's programme examined the Rohingya community in Malaysia and acknowledged Myanmar's government position that the community is called 'Bengali.' The embassy said the programme's information was unsubstantiated by historical evidence, while Heng pointed to the term's established use by the United Nations, UNHCR, the BBC, Reuters and others.
Timeline
October 15: CNA airs Insight: Malaysia's Rohingya Riddle.
October 16: Programme uploaded to CNA Insider's YouTube page.
October 22: Myanmar embassy issues statement rejecting the term 'Rohingya'.
Religion and Identity
The clash extends a long-running dispute over whether the Rohingya, a Muslim minority, are recognized as an ethnic group in Myanmar, where the government instead refers to them as 'Bengali.' The term's contested status shapes how the community is covered across international outlets.
Readers following coverage of the Rohingya should note that the naming dispute affects how the community is described in news reports across outlets. The term used in a report signals a position on the community's identity, which can shape how readers understand displacement and repatriation.
The takeaway
Terminology in reporting on contested communities carries political weight, so readers comparing coverage should note which names outlets use and why. Checking how international bodies and governments refer to the same group can clarify the stakes of the dispute.
Further reading
For background on the community at the center of this dispute, see Islam.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CNA.
