Malaysia says 5,000 Rohingya won’t be returned to Myanmar if safety is at risk

Malaysia on Wednesday said plans to repatriate an initial group of 5,000 Rohingya refugees to Myanmar would not proceed if they faced a risk of persecution or threats to their lives upon return.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the authorities were assessing the proposed repatriation plan and would identify the refugees involved, according to the Malaysian daily The New Straits Times.

“Malaysia, as a responsible country, will not send the 5,000 Myanmar refugees back if they are likely to be persecuted or if their lives would be at risk,” he said, adding that there are several matters that “must first be examined during discussions with Myanmar’s junta government before we proceed.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on July 29 that Myanmar has agreed to take back an initial group of 5,000 Rohingya refugees currently living in Malaysia following bilateral negotiations.

Malaysia hosts one of the region’s largest Rohingya refugee populations, many of whom fled persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

Fahmi said Myanmar’s junta government had indicated its willingness to accept the refugees, but Malaysia must first examine the criteria involved to ensure the repatriation is appropriate and safe.

“The prime minister has said that we cannot send them back if their lives would be in danger. Wisma Putra (Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) is examining several matters related to this,” he said.

The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim minority in Myanmar, face discrimination, persecution and statelessness and frequently attempt dangerous sea crossings to flee hardship.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled Myanmar since 2017 due to violent crackdowns by the military and armed groups. More than 1.3 million have sought refuge in Bangladesh, with some reaching Indonesia and Malaysia after perilous sea journeys.