Malaysia to prioritise safety of Myanmar refugees before repatriation, says foreign minister

Malaysia has announced that the safety of Myanmar refugees will be prioritised during their repatriation process, according to Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. The minister emphasized the importance of cooperation between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Home Ministry (KDN) to verify the refugees' status and assess the security situation they would encounter upon returning to Myanmar.

He expressed that the Malaysian government is willing to repatriate the refugees in stages, with priority given to those whose status has been verified. This follows reports suggesting the Myanmar government planned to repatriate 5,000 of its citizens via ship, but Malaysia is prepared to proceed in smaller groups. Mohamad also highlighted that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) recognizes the gravity of the situation and that the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) should remain the guiding principle for addressing the crisis in Myanmar.