Malaysia starts sending Myanmar migrants home

Malaysia initiated the repatriation of approximately 1,500 Myanmar nationals on Tuesday, according to AFP correspondents who witnessed the process. This marks the initial phase of a wider repatriation plan involving 5,000 Myanmar citizens, as announced by the Malaysian government. The scheme, which is voluntary, has drawn criticism from human rights groups who argue that the condition may expose migrants to perilous conditions upon their return to Myanmar, a country engulfed in ongoing conflict since 2021.

The first group of migrants was transported by dozens of buses escorted by police to Majlis Perbandaran Manjung stadium near Lumut naval base in northwestern Malaysia, where they underwent processing before being moved to a naval base and subsequently shipped to Myanmar.

Rohingya, a Muslim minority, constitute roughly two-thirds of the 190,000 Myanmar refugees and asylum seekers residing in Malaysia, as per the United Nations. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had announced in July that Myanmar had consented to the repatriation of 5,000 Rohingya. The repatriation was proposed following the detention of over 100 Rohingya who had gathered outside the UN refugee agency's office in Kuala Lumpur, demanding assistance due to threats of eviction from an informal settlement in northern Penang state. They were eventually released after their UN documentation was verified.

In an effort to gain support for the repatriation process, Myanmar asserted in recent weeks that they would provide "safe and dignified" returns for their citizens residing abroad, in response to criticism from the United Nations and human rights organizations. However, during the same period, more than 160 civil society organizations jointly called for Malaysia to halt the deportations temporarily, pending dialogue with civil society entities regarding the conditions in Myanmar.

Anwar proposed inviting Myanmar's junta leader-turned-civilian president, Min Aung Hlaing, for an official visit to facilitate the repatriation process; however, civil society groups cautioned against engaging with the junta if it compromises Malaysia's integrity. The Malaysian Home Affairs Ministry disclosed that 5,000 individuals will undergo voluntary repatriation as per the agreement with Myanmar.

As of mid-August, Malaysia housed 10,388 Myanmar nationals in immigration detention centers, not all of whom were classified as refugees. Malaysia, which hosts one of the largest refugee populations in Southeast Asia, is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and does not officially recognize refugee status.