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THE Government will continue efforts to repatriate Myanmar refugees and negotiate the return of a second group unless a court rules otherwise, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said.
He said the Home Ministry and Foreign Ministry could proceed with discussions with Myanmar, with the legal process determining whether the repatriation exercise could continue.
“Following the court’s decision, the Home and Foreign Ministries can continue discussions with Myanmar to proceed with the second group until there is a contrary decision by the court.
“Let the legal process make the decision. Until there is a contrary decision, we will continue,” he said at the Home Ministry’s monthly assembly in Putrajaya today.
Saifuddin said the refugee issue needed to be managed comprehensively because it had implications for both the economy and society.
He also urged the public not to take matters into their own hands or act against refugee communities, advising them instead to channel complaints to the authorities.
He reiterated that negotiations with Myanmar should continue to seek a resolution to the issue.
In a related matter, Immigration depots nationwide are holding more than 23,000 occupants against a capacity of 20,000, putting pressure on the government to manage health risks, potential clashes and rising operating costs, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said.
He said overcrowding could create additional problems among detainees, including health issues and fights, while increasing the cost of running the facilities.
“Our depots have a capacity of 20,000, but the number has now exceeded 23,000. When depots are overcrowded, new problems arise, including health issues and detainees fighting among themselves. Expenditure also increases, and we have to manage that,” he said.
Saifuddin said managing security and migration issues also required cooperation with other countries.
He said the ministry needed to strengthen intelligence-sharing and operational cooperation with regional partners to combat transnational crimes, including drug smuggling and online scams.
International cooperation enabled information to be shared more quickly, helping authorities identify and arrest individuals involved in criminal activities, he added.
He said cooperation with international partners would continue to be strengthened to improve enforcement and address increasingly complex security threats. - October 29, 2026
