UN registered refugees from Myanmar still subject to immigration law in Malaysia

Myanmar refugees holding valid United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cards remain fully subject to Malaysia’s Immigration Act 1959/63 and can be treated as undocumented migrants if they commit unauthorized labor or other immigration offenses, Immigration Director-General Zakaria Shaaban clarified on Monday. The statement refutes recent media reports claiming UNHCR cardholders were exempt from immigration enforcement and fell outside the jurisdiction of the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM). Zakaria emphasized that UNHCR cardholders are granted administrative leniency for only two specific statutory violations, which does not confer immunity from broader national laws: Malaysian Legal Framework for UNHCR Cardholders ├── Statutory Exemptions (2 Specific Offenses): │ ├── 1. Not possessing valid travel documents or passes │ └── 2. Overstaying authorized duration of stay └── Enforceable Offenses (Subject to Detention & Enforcement): ├── 1. Working without a valid employment pass or permit ├── 2. Unauthorized commercial or business operations └── 3. Violations of other provisions under the Immigration Act 1959/63 “The exemption from these two offenses does not mean that UNHCR cardholders are exempt from complying with other provisions under the Immigration Act,” Zakaria stated. He added that employers hiring refugees without formal authorization face direct legal action and prosecution. National refugee management and documentation policy The Malaysian immigration department’s enforcement posture aligns with broader security policies coordinated under National Security Council (MKN) Directive No. 23 (Policy and Mechanism for the Management of Refugees and Asylum Seekers). Implementation of Malaysia’s new Refugee Registration Documentation Programme (DPP) aims to establish a centralized government dataset on asylum seekers, ensuring national security interests are maintained alongside international humanitarian oversight. FMT/BERNAMA The post UN registered refugees from Myanmar still subject to immigration law in Malaysia appeared first on DVB.