Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan has called for a reassessment of the United Nations refugee agency’s operational status in the country, contingent upon implementation of more rigorous oversight mechanisms for refugee credential issuance. His statements, released through state media on Tuesday, followed the detention of more than 100 Rohingya asylum seekers who had congregated outside UNHCR offices in Kuala Lumpur seeking help after experiencing eviction from residences in Penang.
Hasan indicated that Malaysia’s Ministry of Home Affairs is pursuing collaborative arrangements with UNHCR to establish joint screening procedures when refugee documents are granted. He expressed concern that the current system permits individuals to apply for refugee status remotely from their countries of origin and receive documentation upon arrival in Malaysia, thereby creating incentives for refugee migration to the country. The foreign minister stated that if UNHCR declined to accept stricter cooperative measures, Malaysia should reconsider whether to continue hosting the organization.
The UNHCR responded to the detentions by stating it was coordinating with Malaysian authorities to protect the detained individuals and validate their documentation. According to the agency, these collaborative efforts resulted in transferring detainees to alternate accommodation. Malaysian police officials noted that all detained Rohingya possessed valid UNHCR credentials and would receive temporary shelter at Kuala Lumpur police headquarters.
Malaysia, while not signatory to international refugee conventions, has historically provided asylum to Rohingya facing persecution in Myanmar. As of February, approximately 126,000 Rohingya, predominantly Muslim, held UNHCR registration in the country. Recent months have witnessed intensified negative attention directed at refugees through digital harassment campaigns and false information.
Human rights organization Amnesty International issued a statement on Tuesday expressing alarm at the police operations. The group contended that Malaysia cannot establish credible refugee protections while subjecting refugees to detention and removal, and emphasized that refugees warrant treatment consistent with human rights standards and individual dignity.
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