CNI News
12 Sept 2022
As Malaysian authorities have proposed to shut down the UNHCR office in their country, Myanmar nationals who hold refugee cards are likely to face more difficulties, activists for refugees told the CNI.
Vice Chairman Ko Aung Min Thu of the Arakanese Community Malaysia (ARRC) told the CNI that Myanmar refugees in Malaysia had to rely upon the support and assistance of the UNHCR and its partner organizations.
Ko Aung Min Thu said, “It is shocking. If the UNHCR office is shut down, we will encounter a serious situation. Under the protection of the UNHCR, refugees are not subject to arrests and forced repatriation. Without that protection, refugees may be considered illegal migrants and are likely to be repatriated forcefully even if their home countries are in trouble. They may face various problems. We are not sure whether the office will be completely shut down or refugees will be allowed to stay in a designated place like camps.”
Malaysia has proposed to shut down the UNHCR office as it wants to handle the situation by itself without being intervened by third parties and it once tried to shut down the office around 2015-2016.
The UNHCR office in Malaysia.
Malaysia is planning to create job opportunities and training courses undocumented refugees, Chief Patron Sayadaw of (CAR) U Ottara told the CNI.
Sayadaw U Ottara said, “If the UNHCR office is to be shut down completely, the Malaysia Government should issue work permits for Myanmar refugees. If the government and the community of Myanmar refugees cooperate, the situation will improve. Malaysia needs workers for its factories, workshops, rubber plantations, restaurants and businesses. So, the businesses will get workers they need if the government issues work permits for them. It is beneficial for both sides.”
Sayadaw U Ottara added that he didn’t know what was at issue between the Malaysian government and the UNHCR but the issue should be settled through the cooperation of the Malaysian government, the UNHCR and organizations in Malaysia.
Myanmar nationals in Malaysia stage a protest against the UNHCR office in Malaysia in 2018.
Sayadaw U Ottara told the CNI that Malaysia must take the issue of refugees seriously although it had to make the move for national security reasons and it was difficult to shut down the UNHCR office.
He said, “They faced many difficulties during the pandemic. The entire country was under complete lockdown. Malaysian citizens were entitled to cash assistance from the government. Refugees were neglected and as they did not have jobs, they faced hardship. Ethnic communities could offer assistance like food and medicines to their members. During the vaccination program, authorities vaccinated UNHCR card holders, and passport holders but refused to give the shots to others. We had to negotiate with authorities for three days to get everyone vaccinated.”
There are about 200,000 Myanmar refugees who hold UNHCR cards and it is worried that they will get into trouble if the UNHCR office in Malaysia is shut down.
