Malaysia says Rohingya repatriation will not proceed if safety cannot be guaranteed

Malaysia has reaffirmed that it will not repatriate an initial group of 5,000 Rohingya refugees to Myanmar unless their safety can be guaranteed, stressing that no return will take place if refugees face persecution or threats to their lives.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said on Wednesday that the Malaysian government is still evaluating the proposed repatriation plan and identifying the individuals who could be involved. The government will continue discussions with Myanmar’s military authorities before making any final decision.

“Malaysia, as a responsible country, will not send the 5,000 Myanmar refugees back if they are likely to be persecuted or if their lives would be at risk,” Fahmi was quoted as saying by The New Straits Times. He added that several issues must first be carefully examined before any repatriation proceeds.

The statement follows Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement on July 29 that Myanmar had agreed to receive an initial group of 5,000 Rohingya refugees currently living in Malaysia after bilateral negotiations between the two governments.

Malaysia hosts one of Southeast Asia’s largest Rohingya refugee populations, many of whom fled systematic persecution and violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

Fahmi said Myanmar’s authorities had expressed their willingness to accept the refugees, but Malaysia would first assess the criteria and conditions surrounding the proposed returns to ensure they are safe, voluntary, and appropriate.

“The prime minister has made it clear that we cannot send them back if their lives would be in danger. Wisma Putra (Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs) is examining several related matters,” he said.

The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority from Myanmar, have long faced discrimination, statelessness, and widespread human rights abuses. Many have undertaken dangerous sea journeys in search of protection in neighboring countries.

Since the military’s large-scale crackdown in 2017, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled Myanmar. More than 1.3 million are currently living in refugee camps in Bangladesh, while others have sought asylum in countries including Malaysia and Indonesia after perilous journeys across the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.

Background

International human rights organizations and the United Nations have consistently maintained that any repatriation of Rohingya refugees must be voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable, with guarantees of security, legal status, and fundamental rights before returns can take place.