Anwar: Malaysia to seek roadmap on repatriation of Myanmar nationals
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will personally raise the repatriation of Rohingya refugees with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing during his upcoming visit to Malaysia.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar said the bilateral meeting, which will also involve the Foreign Ministry and Home Ministry, aims to chart a clear roadmap to address the decades-long refugee situation involving nearly 200,000 Myanmar nationals in Malaysia.
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So far, Putrajaya’s direct engagements with Naypyidaw have facilitated the return of more than 10,000 Myanmar nationals since January, including 1,400 who were recently transported aboard a Myanmar naval vessel.
However, Anwar clarified that none of those repatriated so far were from the Rohingya ethnic minority.
“The agreement reached requires Myanmar to take back its citizens — whether they are Rakhine, Karen, Shan or Rohingya.
“Those who were repatriated signed voluntary consent forms with the Home Ministry without any element of duress,” Anwar said during Prime Minister’s Question Time today.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that while no Rohingya nationals had been repatriated under the initiative so far, the matter remained high on Putrajaya’s diplomatic agenda.
“This is still under discussion, and I believe the Foreign Minister and I, when we meet with the President (Min Aung Hlaing) in a few days, will also raise this issue so that it can be handled as best as possible,” he said.
Defending Putrajaya’s approach, Anwar said Malaysia had opted for direct engagement rather than the more confrontational stance adopted by some Western countries.
“Unlike the United States or European nations that refuse to negotiate with Myanmar, Malaysia operates independently within Asean.
“We chose direct dialogue to solve a pressing national issue. If left unaddressed, this will escalate into a severe security concern for our people,” he said.
Anwar reiterated that Malaysia had established two key conditions for the repatriation exercise: guarantees of humane treatment upon return to prevent torture or human rights abuses, and adherence to international legal principles.
