Malaysia has said it will not repatriate 5,000 Rohingya refugees to Myanmar if authorities determine their lives would be at risk, while preparations for the potential return continue.
Malaysia's government has placed conditions on a planned repatriation of 5,000 Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, stating that the process will only proceed if it can be confirmed that returnees will not face persecution or threats. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil made the announcement on Wednesday, emphasizing that the country takes responsibility for the safety of those under its care. The foreign ministry is currently examining criteria for the repatriation, which was announced last week after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Myanmar had agreed to accept the group.
The Home Ministry has begun screening and documenting refugees identified for potential return, with 4,000 people currently in immigration detention being consolidated into a single facility rather than spread across 19 locations to streamline the process. Myanmar authorities have not made public statements regarding their readiness to receive the returnees, despite the government's assertion that the junta is prepared to accept them.
The repatriation announcement has drawn criticism from rights organizations and local Rohingya advocacy groups, who argue that returnees would face serious dangers if sent back to Myanmar. Malaysia hosts over 215,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, including more than 126,000 Rohingya—the country's largest refugee community. Many Rohingya fled Myanmar following a military crackdown in 2017. The country is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and does not formally recognize refugee status.
