As refugee policy tightens in Malaysia, ACR urges Myanmar nationals to live in compliance with rules

Amidst the Malaysian government's tightening of refugee policies, the Chin Refugee Alliance (ACR) has urged Myanmar nationals residing in Malaysia to respect laws and regulations and live with caution. The Malaysian Home Minister has stated that refugees will not be granted unlimited stay in the country, suggesting that resettlement in third countries, repatriation when the home country's situation stabilizes, and deportation of criminals are among the options. Furthermore, there are calls for the Malaysian government to request the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to suspend temporary registration of new refugees and to re-evaluate the organization's existence. Given these circumstances, Myanmar nationals should live with greater caution, said ACR Chairman Salai James Bwe Htan Bi. "When even the existence of an organization like UNHCR is being reconsidered, there is nothing more for us refugee organizations to say. In reality, arrests are increasing, so we urge everyone to live and move in compliance with the rules," he told Mizzima. He also warned to be careful when using social media, not to live in large groups or hold celebrations, to pay attention to environmental cleanliness, and especially not to commit any crimes. On July 27, over 100 Rohingya who were evicted from their homes in Penang, Malaysia, gathered in front of the UNHCR office in Kuala Lumpur to seek refuge. Although detained by authorities, they were released because they possessed refugee identification cards. Furthermore, on July 29, six Chin nationals, including a child, were arrested in Ipoh (Kampar) city for lacking legal residency documents, and it was learned from a Myanmar national in Malaysia that 19 detention centers in Malaysia are exceeding their capacity. Although UNHCR is assisting with the Malaysian government's proposed third-country resettlement program, it is also reported that this method is not a practical solution as the number of accepting countries is decreasing, and some countries are no longer accepting them at all. Given the current situation in Myanmar, repatriation to their homeland could lead to facing life-threatening dangers, especially for young people who face the risk of forced conscription, making the repatriation program not yet feasible, said the ACR chairman. While ACR cannot fully guarantee the safety of refugees, it stated that it will do its utmost to reach an understanding with local authorities to ensure protection for their residences, communities, and schools. Currently, approximately 400,000 Myanmar nationals reside in Malaysia. According to UNHCR figures, nearly 200,000 have been recognized as refugees, while the remaining approximately 200,000 are those who have applied for refugee status or are residing for various other reasons.