Malaysia begins repatriation of Burmese nationals

‘UNSAFE’: The security and humanitarian state in parts of Myanmar remains volatile and returnees could face serious risks, human rights groups said

Malaysia yesterday began repatriating Burmese nationals, including women and children, under a voluntary program, despite warnings from the UN refugee agency and rights groups that conditions in the country remain unsafe.

The 1,476 people being sent back are among 5,000 Burmese nationals who are to be repatriated in stages from Malaysia, where as of Aug. 15, 10,388 Burmese nationals were being held at immigration detention depots nationwide, the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs said.

Buses believed to be carrying Burmese returnees arrived at a stadium in Manjung town in Malaysia’s central Perak state early yesterday, amid tight security. Ships believed to be from Myanmar were docked at the nearby Lumut naval base.

A bus carrying Burmese nationals being repatriated from Malaysia to their homeland is pictured heading toward a naval base in Lumut, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, yesterday.

Photo: AFP

Home ministry official Makhzan Mahyuddin was quoted by national Bernama news agency as saying the returnees comprised 1,370 men, 79 women, 20 boys and seven girls, aged eight to 60.

The ministry said they would be sent back safely on two Myanmar navy warships and a hospital ship. It is unclear if any of the returnees were minority Muslim Rohingya, who are rejected by the Myanmar government. The ministry did not provide further details of their identities and circumstances, but stressed their return was voluntary.

“This move also sends a clear signal that the government is serious about addressing irregular migration and the issue of undocumented foreign nationals through law enforcement, repatriation and more systematic management and data collection,” the ministry said in a statement.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and rights groups slammed the repatriation, saying the security and humanitarian situation in parts of Myanmar remains volatile and returnees could face serious risks, such as persecution and forced military conscription in an active war zone.

Myanmar is involved in an armed conflict and political instability following the military’s seizure of power in 2021.

Malaysia is home to about 215,600 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the UNHCR, including about 126,000 Rohingya who make up one of Southeast Asia’s largest refugee communities. Despite hosting them, Malaysia is not a party to the UN Refugee Convention and treats refugees as undocumented migrants.

The government recently launched a system to register refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia and to build a biometric database, as it seeks to manage and regulate the population independently from the UNHCR.

Rohingya have faced growing public hostility in Malaysia due to their growing numbers, fueled by concerns over jobs, public services and security.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has defended the repatriation policy as a diplomatic effort to find a long-term solution, saying Malaysia cannot host refugees indefinitely and Myanmar must take responsibility for its citizens.

Anwar said he plans to invite Burmese President Min Aung Hlaing to Malaysia to discuss the long-running refugee and undocumented migrant issue that has dragged on for decades.

“I am inviting him to say that we can be friends and trade, we can accept Myanmar, but Myanmar must accept them back,” he said in a podcast posted online on Sept. 16. “To me, that’s better diplomacy than just shouting angrily at Myanmar.”