Home Ministry: Myanmar nationals undergo rigorous screening before repatriation

A bus carrying Myanmar nationals being repatriated from Malaysia to their homeland, is seen heading toward to navel base in Lumut, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur September 29, 2026. — AFP pic

First Published: Tuesday, 06 Oct 2026 9:25 AM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — All Myanmar nationals involved in the first phase of the repatriation programme in Lumut, Perak, on September 29 underwent rigorous screening and verification before being repatriated voluntarily, safely, and with dignity to their home country.

The Home Ministry (KDN) said the process covered citizenship verification, documentation, health screening and identity checks.

According to the ministry, the Myanmar government verified the list of individuals and submitted it to Malaysia through a diplomatic note dated August 13, followed by detailed coordination on security, logistics, and reception arrangements in Myanmar.

“For the first phase, final processing was carried out at the Manjung District Stadium before the individuals were taken to the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Base in Lumut for repatriation.

“The government ensures that the repatriation process is carried out safely, orderly, responsibly and with dignity, in accordance with the procedures agreed upon by both countries,” the ministry said in a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document on the programme.

The ministry said the programme is part of the government’s approach to addressing irregular migration and undocumented migrants through enforcement, detention management and orderly, safe and responsible repatriation.

The measure also helps reduce unnecessary detention periods, thereby easing pressure on the capacity and operating costs of Immigration Detention Depots (DTI).

“As of August 31, there were 11,804 Myanmar nationals detained at Immigration Detention Depots and Baitul Mahabbah facilities nationwide,” it said.

The ministry said the high number of detainees and prolonged detention periods had placed pressure on depot capacity and resulted in significant government expenditure.

The repatriation programme was therefore established as a bilateral initiative between Malaysia and Myanmar to facilitate the phased return of Myanmar nationals detained in Malaysia.

It said the Myanmar government had committed to accepting the return of 5,000 of its citizens throughout 2026.

Under the programme, KDN acts as the coordinating ministry, while the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) serves as the main operational agency.

The operation also involves the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Security Council, Ministry of Defence, Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) and other relevant security agencies.

The first phase on September 29 saw 1,476 Myanmar nationals repatriated aboard three Myanmar Navy vessels, including a hospital ship.

The operation involved detainees from 14 Immigration Detention Depots nationwide, with the largest numbers coming from the Belantik Depot in Kedah and Tanah Merah Depot in Kelantan.

Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil previously said an agreement had been reached for the voluntary repatriation of 3,524 Myanmar detainees under the programme’s second phase. — Bernama