Malaysia compiling nationwide refugee data under new registration programme, says Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — The government is compiling data on refugee communities nationwide through the Refugee Registration Document (DPP) programme under National Security Council (MKN) Directive No. 23, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the programme, currently in its first phase, focuses on individuals held at Immigration Detention Depots (DTI).

The initiative is expected to progress soon to its second phase, focusing on United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cardholders residing outside the depots, he added.

“The data collection aims to ensure the government can manage, coordinate, and monitor the temporary presence of these individuals in the country before they are resettled in a third country or repatriated to their country of origin,” he said in a written reply published on the Parliament website last night.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, was replying to a question from Mohd Sany Hamzan (PH-Hulu Langat) on the government’s stance regarding foreign organisations operating in Malaysia, such as UNHCR, amid claims that the agency has not provided expected cooperation and refused to share data on refugees.

Ahmad Zahid said international organisations remain essential to Malaysia as platforms for cooperation and expertise sharing to tackle cross-border issues that cannot be handled unilaterally, while building national capacity and easing the burden of managing humanitarian challenges.

He noted that this position is reflected in Malaysia’s experience in handling Vietnamese refugees on Pulau Bidong from the late 1970s to the 1990s, when Malaysia collaborated with UNHCR and the international community to manage refugee influxes, provide temporary shelter, and secure third-country resettlement.

“At present, the government also requires UNHCR to facilitate third-country resettlement, as recipient nations rely on the UNHCR card to verify and authenticate refugees,” he said. — Bernama

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吉隆坡，10月27日讯——副首相拿督斯里阿末扎希哈米迪表示，政府正在根据国家安全理事会（MKN）第23号指令，通过难民登记文件（DPP）计划收集全国难民社区的数据。

他表示，该计划目前处于第一阶段，重点关注被关押在移民拘留中心 (DTI) 的人员。

他补充说，该倡议预计很快将进入第二阶段，重点关注居住在难民营外的联合国难民署（UNHCR）持卡人。

“收集这些数据的目的是为了确保政府能够管理、协调和监督这些人在该国的临时居留，然后再将他们安置到第三国或遣返回原籍国，”他在昨晚发表于议会网站的书面答复中说。

艾哈迈德·扎希德同时也是乡村及区域发展部长，他在回答莫哈末·萨尼·哈姆赞（希望联盟-乌鲁冷岳）提出的问题时，谈到了政府对在马来西亚运营的外国组织（如联合国难民署）的立场。此前有指控称，该机构没有提供预期的合作，并拒绝分享有关难民的数据。

艾哈迈德·扎希德表示，国际组织对马来西亚仍然至关重要，它们是合作和专业知识共享的平台，可以解决无法单方面处理的跨境问题，同时还能建设国家能力，减轻应对人道主义挑战的负担。

他指出，马来西亚在 20 世纪 70 年代末至 90 年代处理比东岛上越南难民的经验反映了这一立场。当时，马来西亚与联合国难民署和国际社会合作，管理难民涌入，提供临时住所，并确保在第三国重新安置难民。

他说：“目前，政府也要求联合国难民署协助第三国安置难民，因为接收国依赖难民署的卡片来核实和确认难民身份。”——马新社

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