CNI News
25 June 2024
Rakhine and Chin ethnic people were entering Malaysia as refugees more than before, officials from ethnic refugee organizations concerned told CNI News.
Although the number of Chin refugees was around 50,000 in Malaysia in 2021, now has been over 80,000.
In the same way, the number of Rakhine refugees has been over 10,000 now, according to officials from refugee organizations.
Most of the people who had entered were young people, an official from the Arakanese Community Malaysia told CNI News.
While seeing Chin refugees
" As new comers, young people are more mainly because of domestic impacts. Rakhine people are not found to be coming here with their families. They seem to enter Malaysia because it was not convenient for them to work in other places." he said.
Some entered Malaysia illegally through border and others came on a visit visa and overstayed.
The number of Myanmar nationalities who got refugee status had been low since before and later as well, new comers had to take a long time to get refugee cards reportedly.
Moreover, the Malaysian government didn't want that refugees would increased within its country, so it was strictly checking, James Bawi Thang Bik, chairman of the Alliance of Chin Refugees, told CNI News.
While seeing Chin refugees
" At present in Malaysia, those who don't get the UN refugee cards have outnumbered those who have got the cards. Many Myanmar young and middle age people have arrived in Malaysia. Those who joined the CDM came here in the hope of getting UN refugee cards. But they are not given a priority in Malaysia. But the UN give a priority to the people regarding health. The UN is giving those who applied to get a refugee status in 2019-20, but the rate is very low." he said.
Myanmar nationalities will not get the UNHCR cards quickly in Malaysia and among those who came as refugees, many educated young people are included reportedly.
With many refugees coming to Malaysia, they are experiencing a lot of difficulties including health problems reportedly.
