CNI News
23 Dec 2022
He will call on the new Malaysian government to issue temporary work permits for Myanmar refugees who have UNHCR cards in Malaysia, Director General U Nyi Nyi Lwin of the Centre for Arakan Refugees told the CNI.
He had discussed the issue with the previous government unsuccessfully and he is again trying to raise the issue with the new government, he added.
He told, "I discussed the issue with the previous government. Due to conflicts in Myanmar, hundreds of thousands of Myanmar nationals crossed the border to Malaysia. It is likely to take a long time to resolve the Myanmar political crisis. However, it is certain that political changes will take place in Myanmar one day. When political changes take place in Myanmar, refugees will go back to Myanmar. Meanwhile, authorities are arresting refugees but they cannot deport refugees to Myanmar because of international pressures. So, the government should allow them to work in Malaysia in the same way as Thailand.
Hundreds of thousands of migrants are applying for refugee cards with the UNHCR online. We will urge the government to allow Myanmar refugees to work in Malaysia."
The UNHCR collects lists of migrant workers.
The CAR will cooperate with other ethnic communities, labour organizations and NGOs for the issue.
Although the new government took office recently, the number of arrests has not decreased, according to activists for refugees and workers.
The number of arrests has increased not because of the new government but because of authorities who usually make arrests at year ends.
Only a few ethnic refugees from Myanmar who were arrested in Malaysia have UNHCR cards and most of them are undocumented, according to activists for refugees.
Secretary Steven of the Alliance of Chin Refugees told the CNI, "There is a 50-50 chance that the new government will allow refugees to work in Malaysia because it has not announced its foreign policies or refugee policies officially. On the other hand, newly elected politicians are not strangers to NGOs. It is expected that the situation of refugees will improve a little. The new government will have to adopt a policy to deal with the UN. They may discuss the refugee issue with the UN but they have not announced the discussion publicly. We hope that the new government will cooperate with the UN and the situation of refugees will improve."
Myanmar migrant workers.
If the new government allows refugees to work in Malaysia, only those who have UNHCR cards will have the chance to work in Malaysia.
Therefore, activists and ethnic communities have urged illegal migrants to apply for ethnic community cards and UNHCR cards.
Some illegal migrants were arrested because their neighbours reported to the police about their disturbance.
Activists have urged illegal migrants not to be involved in disturbances, brawls and drinking alcohol.
