Malaysia vows not to return Rohingya refugees to Myanmar if lives at risk

What the report says

Malaysia says it will not send 5,000 Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar if officials determine that return would endanger their lives. Government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil said on Wednesday that the foreign and home ministries are still reviewing the repatriation plan first outlined last week by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The decision is tied to a case-by-case assessment of whether the refugees could face persecution or other threats upon return.

The proposed move comes as Malaysia hosts more than 215,000 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the UN refugee agency, including over 126,000 Rohingya, according to the report. Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and does not formally recognize refugee status, but it has long been a major destination for people fleeing conflict and repression in Myanmar. Many Rohingya left after Myanmar’s 2017 military crackdown.

Rights groups have criticized the repatriation plan, saying Rohingya in Myanmar remain vulnerable to abuse. Human Rights Watch called on Malaysia to reverse course, while Malaysia’s main Rohingya rights group also urged a halt. The announcement followed recent pressure on refugees in Malaysia, including the closure of refugee schools, evictions from informal settlements, and brief detentions of more than 100 Rohingya outside the UN refugee agency’s office in Kuala Lumpur. Myanmar’s military authorities have not publicly responded to the proposal.