The Home Ministry (KDN) is identifying and screening Myanmar refugees in Malaysia under the Refugee Registration Document (DPP) process as part of efforts to repatriate 5,000 Myanmar nationals to their home country.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the move follows Myanmar’s agreement to accept the return of its citizens living abroad as refugees.
He said the agreement was reached through discussions initiated by Malaysia during its chairmanship of ASEAN last year.
“Myanmar has expressed its commitment to accept the return of its citizens who are outside the country and hold refugee status. The Myanmar government has also agreed to receive some of its citizens currently staying at the Cox’s Bazar refugee camp in Bangladesh,” he said at a press conference after the Drug-Free Aspirations Roadshow: Healthy FELDA Community, Prosperous Kedah programme in Felda Bukit Tangga on Wednesday.
According to Saifuddin, Myanmar’s initial commitment is to receive 5,000 of its nationals from Malaysia.
He said the Home Ministry, as the lead agency under National Security Council (MKN) Directive No. 23, is carrying out the DPP process to identify, trace and screen those eligible for repatriation.
The screening process includes security checks conducted by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and the Immigration Department before successful applicants are issued documents confirming their status.
“Once this process is completed, we will finalise the quota of 5,000 individuals before holding further discussions with the Foreign Ministry and the Myanmar government,” he said.
Saifuddin said the process has begun by focusing on Myanmar nationals currently being held at immigration detention depots.
He revealed that of the approximately 22,000 detainees housed across 19 immigration depots nationwide, around 4,000 Myanmar nationals have already been identified to undergo the screening process.
They will be transferred to a dedicated immigration depot to facilitate documentation and security screening before any repatriation arrangements are made.
He added that once the Home Ministry completes its procedures, the Foreign Ministry will coordinate the return process with the Myanmar government.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that 5,000 Rohingya refugees in Malaysia would be repatriated to Myanmar following negotiations and improved bilateral relations between the two countries.
