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PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has assured Parliament that no Rohingya refugees are among the 10,000 Myanmar nationals repatriated so far, while signalling Malaysia’s intent to gradually take over refugee card issuance and administration from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Responding to a supplementary question from Suhaizan Kaiat (PH-Pulai) during Prime Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today, Anwar explained that official tracking confirms no Rohingya have been brought back under the voluntary repatriation programme, despite the return arrangement not categorising individuals by ethnic group.
"In the records we have tracked so far, no Rohingya individuals have been brought back, but this remains under discussion," Anwar said.
"I believe the Foreign Minister (Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan) and I, when meeting President Min Aung Hlaing in the coming days, will also raise this issue so it can be handled as effectively as possible. Generally, any country wishing to repatriate its citizens from our country is something we welcome."
Turning to broader refugee policy following a query from Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin (PN-Larut), Anwar addressed calls for the Home Ministry to assume full control over issuing refugee cards, confirming that any shift away from UNHCR oversight requires formal diplomatic negotiations with the UN.
While noting that UNHCR's present operational authority stems from legacy arrangements granted by past governments, the Prime Minister backed the principle of sovereign control over refugee processing.
"I agree that firm action and decisions must be taken because our country's affairs should be managed by our own machinery, not dictated by foreign officials determining who is eligible or ineligible for refugee status," Anwar added. - October 6, 2026
