Malaysia foreign minister calls for review of UN refugee agency’s presence: Reports
Mohamad Hasan’s comments came a day after authorities detained more than 100 Rohingya asylum seekers who had gathered outside the agency’s premises in Kuala Lumpur to seek assistance after being evicted from their homes in Penang state.
Rohingya refugees inside a truck as they are taken by police, in front of the office of the UN Refugee Agency, after being evicted from their homes. (Photo: Reuters/Hasnoor Hussain)
Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia should reconsider whether to allow the UN refugee agency to operate in the country unless it imposes stricter controls on issuing refugee documents, state media cited the foreign minister as saying on Tuesday (Jul 28).
Minister Mohamad Hasan’s comments came a day after authorities detained more than 100 Rohingya asylum seekers who had gathered outside the agency’s premises in Kuala Lumpur to seek assistance after being evicted from their homes in Penang state.
He said the government, through the home ministry, was currently working to ensure that the screening process for refugees was carried out jointly by the UNHCR and local authorities when issuing documentation, according to state news agency Bernama.
“We want cooperation and strict screening. If they do not want to cooperate, in my opinion, it is time for us to reconsider the presence of UNHCR in the country so that we do not continue to be burdened,” Mohamad was quoted as saying.
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
The UNHCR office was attracting more refugees to Malaysia, including Rohingya Muslims, he said.
The UNHCR office in Kuala Lumpur did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the minister’s remarks.
The agency said in an earlier statement on Tuesday that it was working with authorities to protect the detained Rohingya and verify their documentation.
“These efforts contributed to their transfer to alternative accommodation, which is ongoing,” it said.
The detained Rohingya refugees all possess valid UNHCR documentation and would be temporarily sheltered at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters pending further action by the refugee agency, Bernama reported on Tuesday, citing a top police official.
Rights group Amnesty International had voiced concern on Tuesday.
“Malaysia cannot build a credible refugee protection system while simultaneously treating refugees as people to be rounded up, detained, and removed,” Amnesty International’s Malaysia branch said.
“Refugees and asylum seekers should be treated with dignity and in accordance with their human rights, as people who need protection.”
Muslim-majority Malaysia has long been seen as a safe haven for Rohingya fleeing persecution in the largely Buddhist Myanmar, but online hate speech and misinformation have exposed the group to greater harassment and scrutiny in recent months.
Though Malaysia is not a signatory to the UN refugee convention and regards asylum seekers as illegal migrants, around 126,000 Rohingya Muslims were registered with the UNHCR in the country as of the end of February, according to the agency’s website.
Source: Reuters/ia(as)
Sign up for our newsletters
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
About The Author
