Civil society groups call on Malaysia to stop Rohingya returns

Over 160 civil society organisations have called on Malaysia to halt its plans to deport Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar, citing the high risk of violence and forced conscription. The groups expressed serious concerns over Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's proposal to seek cooperation from Myanmar's junta leader-turned-president, Min Aung Hlaing, to send back the persecuted Muslim minority community.

Malaysia currently hosts around 193,800 refugees from Myanmar, including a significant number of Rohingya, according to the UN. The government plans to return 1,500 refugees on September 29, the first phase of the deportation, while Myanmar has agreed to take back 5,000 refugees, though the specifics of who they are remain unclear.

Anwar has stated he intends to invite Min Aung Hlaing to Malaysia in exchange for accepting Rohingya refugees. The International Criminal Court is currently considering an arrest warrant against Min Aung Hlaing for his role in the military crackdown on the Rohingya community. Myanmar, which does not recognize Rohingya as an ethnic group, claims its actions in Rakhine state were in response to militant attacks.

The civil society groups warn that returning to Myanmar would expose Rohingya to forced conscription into multiple armed groups, including the military, the Arakan Army, and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army. Thousands of Rohingya flee Myanmar annually, often undertaking perilous journeys by boat or overland due to the ongoing conflict and persecution.