Malaysia questions UNHCR refugee cards after Rohingya detentions
Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said Malaysia should review UNHCR operations unless refugee document screening is tightened.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
3 min read
Malaysia’s foreign minister said the government should reconsider allowing the UN refugee agency to operate in the country unless it tightens controls on refugee cards, escalating a Malaysia UNHCR refugee cards dispute after police detained more than 100 Rohingya asylum seekers.
State news agency Bernama reported Tuesday that Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan called for stricter screening of refugee documentation. His remarks followed the detention of Rohingya who had gathered outside UNHCR’s office in Kuala Lumpur seeking help after being evicted from homes in Penang, according to AFP and Reuters.
Why is Malaysia questioning UNHCR refugee cards?
Hasan said Malaysia wants closer cooperation and tougher checks when refugee documents are issued, according to Bernama. He said the Home Affairs Ministry was working to make sure screenings are conducted jointly by UNHCR and Malaysian authorities.
Bernama reported that Hasan also accused UNHCR’s Malaysia office of enabling people to apply online from their home countries and obtain refugee cards after arriving in Malaysia. He said that process encouraged more refugees to come, according to the state news agency.
UNHCR is the United Nations agency responsible for refugees and asylum seekers. In countries that are not parties to the UN Refugee Convention, its registration documents can be central to identifying people seeking protection, though local governments decide how they treat those documents.
What happened to the detained Rohingya?
UNHCR said Tuesday that it was working with Malaysian authorities to protect the detained Rohingya and check their papers. The agency said those efforts had helped move the group to alternative accommodation, with the process still under way.
Bernama quoted a senior police official as saying all of the detained Rohingya had valid UNHCR documentation. The official said they would be housed temporarily at Kuala Lumpur police headquarters.
The Rohingya are a mostly Muslim minority from Myanmar, where many have fled persecution. AFP and Reuters reported that Malaysia has long served as a refuge for Rohingya, although the country has not signed the UN Refugee Convention.
About 126,000 Rohingya were registered with UNHCR in Malaysia as of the end of February, according to AFP and Reuters. The reports said Rohingya refugees in Malaysia have faced growing scrutiny and harassment in recent months amid rising online hate speech and misinformation targeting them.
Amnesty raises concern over Malaysia’s response
Amnesty International’s Malaysia branch criticized the detentions Tuesday. The rights group said Malaysia could not credibly protect refugees while treating them as people to be rounded up, detained and removed.
Amnesty said refugees and asylum seekers should be treated with dignity and in line with their human rights because they are seeking protection. The group’s statement added to pressure on Malaysian authorities as they weigh tighter control over UNHCR documentation.
Hasan’s remarks did not announce an immediate closure of UNHCR operations. They signaled that the government may press for greater authority over refugee registration, a sensitive issue in a country hosting many people who lack formal legal status under domestic immigration law.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.