KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia will not proceed with plans to repatriate 5,000 refugees to Myanmar if authorities determine they could face persecution or threats to their lives upon return, a government spokesperson said on August 5.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the government would first assess the conditions for repatriation before making any decision.
"Malaysia, as a responsible country, will not send them back if they would either be persecuted or their lives would be threatened," he told a press briefing, as reported by CNA.
Fahmi said Myanmar's military government had indicated its readiness to receive the refugees, but Malaysia would evaluate the criteria for repatriation before implementing the plan.
"The junta government in Myanmar is ready to receive them, but we will examine what the criteria are. And if appropriate, we will implement the repatriation plan,”
"We cannot send them back if their lives are threatened. So there are several matters that are being looked into by the foreign ministry,” Fahmi said.
Earlier, Myanmar has agreed to receive an initial 5,000 Rohingya from Malaysia, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on July 29.
Anwar said Myanmar had previously refused to accept Rohingya sent from Malaysia.
“Now, because of our good relations with Myanmar, they have agreed to take back 5,000 from Malaysia,” he said in the July 29 announcement.
The proposed move has drawn concern from human rights organisations, particularly over the safety of returnees.
Malaysia currently hosts more than 215,000 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the United Nations refugee agency, including over 126,000 Rohingya from Myanmar, making them the country's largest refugee population.
The announcement followed the detention of more than 100 Rohingya outside the UN refugee agency's office in Kuala Lumpur last week after they gathered to seek assistance over possible eviction from an informal settlement in Penang.
The group was later released after authorities confirmed they possessed valid UN refugee documentation.
