Show proof Myanmar nationals a ‘financial burden’, home ministry told
Former MP Charles Santiago also asks if the community is more of a 'security threat' than undocumented migrant workers.
Former DAP MP Charles Santiago has challenged the Malaysian home minister to present evidence that Myanmar nationals pose a "financial burden" or a "security threat". Santiago, co-chair of Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights, stated that Malaysians deserve proof of the alleged issues. The home ministry had claimed that managing asylum-seekers, particularly those from Myanmar, has become a significant financial burden and introduced a serious social crisis and security threat.
The repatriation of about 1,500 Myanmar nationals, including children, is part of a refugee repatriation program. Santiago questioned whether Myanmar nationals posed a greater threat than the two million undocumented migrant workers who have entered Malaysia in the past two decades. He emphasized that his call for the home ministry to back up its claims is not about opposing immigration enforcement or national sovereignty.
Santiago stressed that transparency and independent scrutiny are crucial now that repatriation has begun.
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- Show proof Myanmar nationals a ‘financial burden’, home ministry told freemalaysiatoday.com
