PUTRAJAYA - Malaysia has begun implementing a refugee registration and status determination exercise aimed at improving migration management and strengthening national security oversight.
In a statement on June 11, the Home Ministry said the initiative reflects the government's approach to addressing refugee-related issues through policies grounded in facts, security considerations and humanitarian realities.
The ministry noted that Malaysia has hosted refugees and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) card holders for decades.
However, it said the government still lacks comprehensive and verified data on the actual number, identities and backgrounds of individuals residing in the country under such circumstances.
According to the ministry, the situation cannot be allowed to continue as effective migration management requires accurate and reliable information.
As the agency responsible for internal security and migration matters, the Home Ministry said all policies and decisions must be based on data owned and verified by the Malaysian government.
The registration initiative is being carried out by the Immigration Department under National Security Council Directive No. 23 (Revision 2023).
The exercise, known as the Refugee Registration and Status Determination Process (DPP), is currently being implemented across Peninsular Malaysia.
The process covers both UNHCR document holders and individuals who claim refugee status.
Authorities said the exercise would enable the collection of biometric data and more detailed identity information to verify the status, location and background of individuals involved.
The ministry said the data would assist the government in assessing security, public health, economic and social implications more comprehensively.
It added that the information would also help improve standard operating procedures, migration policies and enforcement measures relating to refugees and UNHCR card holders.
The Home Ministry stressed that the exercise does not grant citizenship, permanent residency, or any right to remain permanently in Malaysia.
Instead, it described the initiative as a mechanism to strengthen government oversight of migration and security issues.
“The principle upheld by the government is clear. National security will never be compromised.
“At the same time, refugee issues must be managed in an orderly manner, in accordance with the law and with due consideration to humanitarian realities at the regional and international levels,” the ministry said.
The ministry said effective migration governance begins with accurate and verifiable data.
“We cannot manage what we do not know, and we cannot safeguard national security without clearly knowing who is within our borders,” it added.
The Home Ministry described the DPP exercise as an important step towards a more structured, responsible and security-focused migration management framework.
Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and does not have a domestic legal framework specifically recognising refugee status.
As a result, refugees and asylum seekers are generally classified under immigration laws as undocumented migrants, although UNHCR conducts registration and refugee status determination for many individuals seeking international protection.
According to UNHCR data, Malaysia hosts a large refugee and asylum-seeker population, including individuals from Myanmar, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen and several other countries.
Rohingya refugees from Myanmar constitute the largest refugee group in the country, and the issue has long posed policy challenges involving security, public services, labour market participation and humanitarian protection.
