Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing visits Malaysia amid concerns over repatriations

What the report says

Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing has arrived in Malaysia for talks with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in his first visit to the country since the 2021 coup, according to Al Jazeera. The two-day trip comes as Kuala Lumpur seeks Myanmar’s cooperation in returning thousands of Myanmar nationals, including Rohingya refugees and other undocumented migrants.

Al Jazeera reported that the Malaysian government is pressing ahead with a “voluntary, dignified and safe” repatriation plan, while the United Nations and rights groups have warned that people sent back could face danger because Myanmar remains gripped by civil war. The visit is also being framed by both sides as a chance to keep direct contact open on bilateral issues.

The article said Malaysia has already deported about 10,000 Myanmar nationals since January, according to Anwar Ibrahim. It also noted that Malaysia hosts about 215,600 refugees and asylum seekers registered with UNHCR, including roughly 126,000 Rohingya. Malaysia is not a party to the UN Refugee Convention and generally treats refugees as undocumented migrants.

More broadly, Min Aung Hlaing’s travel reflects a gradual re-engagement by some Asian governments with Myanmar’s military leadership, even as the post-coup conflict continues and the country remains under Western sanctions.