Malaysia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Monday, that Myanmar’s military regime has expressed willingness to repatriate 5,000 refugees currently in Malaysia by ship.
Mohamad Hasan emphasized that while Malaysia has identified the initial group, any transfer remains strictly contingent on comprehensive safety and security guarantees.
The proposal was raised during a recent meeting with Myanmar regime Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe. It represents a shift from Naypyidaw’s previous reluctance to accept refugees from Malaysia.
“They stated their willingness to bring back these 5,000 refugees by ship. But the issue is the safety of these 5,000 people—will they be safe when we send them back? What will happen to them? That also needs to be considered,” said Mohamad Hasan.
Safety Mandate, Screening, and Multi-Ethnic Demographics
While Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced on July 29 that Naypyidaw agreed to the repatriation framework, Malaysian authorities stress that no returns will proceed if individuals face persecution, arbitrary detention, or life-threatening conditions:
- Depot Screening: The Ministry of Home Affairs and immigration authorities have begun screening individuals held across immigration detention depots, with approximately 4,000 nationals initially processed toward the 5,000 target.
- Inter-Ministerial Roles: The Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) will act strictly as a diplomatic facilitator, leaving security, logistical screening, and operational handovers to the Home Ministry and corresponding Myanmar agencies.
- Multi-Ethnic Scope: Mohamad urged regional observers not to view the displaced population exclusively through the lens of the Rohingya community. The 5,000 identified individuals include members of various ethnic minority groups fleeing conflict, including the Chin and Karen communities.
ASEAN Framework and the Five-Point Consensus (5PC)
The Foreign Minister reaffirmed that any bilateral arrangements must operate within the regional framework of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus (5PC). He noted that while refugee management involves domestic logistics, ASEAN views the wider Myanmar humanitarian crisis as a collective regional responsibility.
“We want the Five-Point Consensus to remain the core mechanism of ASEAN towards Myanmar. We want the Myanmar government to fulfill the aspirations of ASEAN leaders because the consensus was agreed upon by everyone, including the Myanmar leadership at the time,” Mohamad Hasan added, insisting that any adjustments to regional protocol must be negotiated collectively rather than unilaterally.
BERNAMA
