MalayMail/Bernama-May 8
The government is considering entering into an agreement with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) regarding the commission’s role and responsibilities towards refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in a statement after chairing the meeting of the high-level committee on the management of refugees and asylum seekers here today said the agreement with UNHCR over the matter was in line with Resolution 428 (V) UN General Assembly (1950). “Based on the principles of humanity, the government has allowed this group (refugees and asylum seekers) to stay temporarily in the country before being resettled in another country or returned to their country of origin,” he said. Ahmad Zahid said the government was concerned following the presence of a few groups of refugees and asylum seekers who carried out activities that were contrary to the local norms, sensitivities and culture, causing uneasiness among the locals. He said the government was also very concerned about the significant increase in the number of refugees and asylum seekers holding UNHCR cards in Malaysia, namely 75,617 people in 2009 to 185,760 people in March this year. A total of 160,332 people or 86.3 per cent of all refugees and asylum seekers are from Myanmar, of which 107,433 are of the Rohingya ethnic group. Refugees from other countries with significant numbers are Pakistan with 7,109 people, Yemen (3,466), Afghanistan (3,444), Somalia (3,161) and Syria (3,161). Read more at: https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/05/08/govt-mulling-agreement-with-unhcr-over-issue-of-refugees-asylum-seekers-in-malaysia/68252
