Malaysia will formally seek clarification from Myanmar’s military authorities following reports that hundreds of recently repatriated migrants were transferred directly into military custody upon arrival in Yangon, Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan announced in parliament on Monday.
The diplomatic pushback comes after Kuala Lumpur deported 1,476 Myanmar nationals via three naval vessels on Sept. 29 under a bilateral repatriation initiative with the regime in Naypyidaw that aims to return a total of 5,000 detained migrants held inside Malaysia immigration detention facilities.
While Malaysia framed the departures as voluntary amid rising domestic anti-migrant sentiment, and the regime promised “safe and dignified” treatment, over 400 ethnic Rakhine returnees remain in military detention after docking outside Yangon.
Addressing lawmakers, Mohamad Hasan stated that Malaysia’s charge d’affaires in Myanmar has been directed to investigate the detentions and ascertain the physical condition and legal status of the individuals.
Emphasizing that Malaysia expects the regime in Naypyidaw to stand by its diplomatic commitments, the foreign minister warned that Malaysia will demand a full explanation if the returnees are indeed being held, insisting that bilateral assurances of safe passage must be strictly honored before the planned second phase—involving the return of an additional 3,524 migrants—proceeds.
The opaque deportations have drawn intense condemnation from the United Nations and human rights monitors, who caution that ongoing civil war conditions violate the international legal principle of non-refoulement.
Rights advocates warn that returning vulnerable populations—including ethnic Rakhine and Rohingya—places them in severe danger of arbitrary detention, forced conscription, and systematic persecution by the regime.
AFP
