The Myanmar government has expressed readiness to repatriate around 5,000 of its nationals currently seeking refuge in Malaysia by ship.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said his Myanmar counterpart conveyed the willingness during a recent meeting between the two ministers.
However, he stressed that the proposed repatriation must take into account the safety of those involved, with proper screening also required before they are sent back.
“When I met the new Foreign Minister in Myanmar, they expressed their readiness to bring these 5,000 people back by ship.
“But the issue is the safety of these 5,000 people. If we send them back, will they be safe or what will happen to them? That also needs to be considered,” he said during a press conference after attending the 59th ASEAN Day celebration here today.
The Home Ministry (KDN) said yesterday that preliminary data on the number of Myanmar refugees in Malaysia would be released by the fourth quarter of this year through the Refugee Registration Document (DPP) programme.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) was currently gathering the relevant data in cooperation with the parties concerned.
Mohamad added that the Foreign Ministry would only serve as a facilitator in the repatriation process once decisions had been made by KDN and the Myanmar authorities.
He said Malaysian authorities had already identified around 5,000 refugees to be repatriated, although no specific timeline had been set for the process.
“There is no timeframe, but it needs to be done as soon as possible. It is up to them. Myanmar also needs to carry out the screening.
“But these 5,000 people have already been identified by the Malaysian authorities as individuals who need to be returned,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohamad stressed that the refugee issue involving Myanmar should not be viewed solely through the lens of the Rohingya crisis, as refugees from various other ethnic groups in the country are also present in Malaysia.
He cited the Chin and Karen communities as examples, adding that the situation should be viewed more broadly as an internal issue involving different groups.
“This is an internal problem of the country and we are not talking about Rohingya refugees. We are talking about refugees in various forms,” he said.
