Home minister: Government resolving persistent refugee problem according to rule of law

Malaysia has initiated a repatriation programme for 5,000 Myanmar refugees, with 1,476 individuals beginning the first phase today.

This effort is carried out through cooperation with the Myanmar government and involves the use of Myanmar Navy ships.

Despite not being part of the Refugee Convention, Malaysia chooses a compassionate and systematic approach, prioritising national security and citizens' welfare.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 — The Madani Government will not allow the problem of foreign refugee presence to persist indefinitely; instead, it has begun resolving the issue firmly, systematically, and in stages based on the Constitution and the rule of law, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

He said that a total of 5,000 Myanmar refugees have been finalised to undergo a voluntary and phased repatriation programme back to their country of origin, based on the Myanmar government’s agreement to accept them and the individuals’ consent to return voluntarily.

“Today, a total of 1,476 individuals began the First Phase of repatriation, based on the list submitted by the Myanmar Government through an official Diplomatic Note.

“This implementation is coordinated by the Ministry of Home Affairs together with the Malaysian Immigration Department and related agencies. This resolution was also achieved through diplomatic approaches and direct negotiations with the Myanmar Government,” he said in a statement today.

Saifuddin Nasution noted that the presence of foreign refugees, particularly from Myanmar, has dragged on for decades without a definitive resolution, turning into a massive financial burden for the country, triggering serious social crises, and posing a tangible security threat to the citizens.

He said that for issues involving two countries, enforcement actions alone are insufficient; instead, they require cooperation from the country of origin to enable the acceptance, documentation, and repatriation processes to be carried out in an orderly and phased manner.

“This is the approach we are taking: the law is upheld, enforcement is implemented, and diplomatic channels are utilised to produce a solution.

“Although Malaysia is not a State Party to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, we choose a firm yet civilised approach centered on the values of compassion and the spirit of ASEAN familyhood, with every action executed in an orderly and responsible manner without compromising national security and sovereignty,” he said.

Saifuddin Nasution stated that today’s first phase was just a beginning, while subsequent phases will proceed as soon as the identification, documentation, verification, and operational readiness processes are completed.

“We are beginning to resolve a legacy problem that has dragged on for a long time, based on the law. We safeguard national sovereignty. The security, welfare, and interests of Malaysian citizens remain the top priority.”

A total of 1,476 Myanmar refugee detainees - comprising 1,370 men, 79 women, and 27 children - were repatriated at the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Base in Lumut, Perak, today.

The repatriation process was carried out using Myanmar Navy ships, namely the UMS Moattama, escort vessel UMS King Sin Phyu Shin, and medical ship UMS Thanlwin. — Bernama

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马来西亚启动了一项遣返计划，遣返 5000 名缅甸难民，其中 1476 人于今天开始第一阶段的遣返。

这项工作是通过与缅甸政府合作开展的，并涉及使用缅甸海军舰艇。

尽管马来西亚并非《难民公约》的缔约国，但它选择采取富有同情心和系统性的方法，优先考虑国家安全和公民福祉。

吉隆坡，9月29日讯——内政部长拿督斯里赛夫丁·纳苏蒂安·伊斯梅尔表示，马达尼政府不会允许外国难民问题无限期地持续下去；相反，它已经开始根据宪法和法治，坚定、系统、分阶段地解决这一问题。

他表示，共有 5000 名缅甸难民已最终确定将按照自愿分阶段遣返计划返回原籍国，这是基于缅甸政府同意接收他们以及个人自愿返回的意愿。

“今天，根据缅甸政府通过正式外交照会提交的名单，共有 1476 人开始了第一阶段的遣返。

“这项措施由马来西亚内政部与马来西亚移民局及相关机构协调实施。此外，这项决议也是通过外交途径和与缅甸政府的直接谈判达成的，”他今天在一份声明中表示。

赛夫丁·纳苏蒂安指出，外国难民，特别是来自缅甸的难民，其存在已经持续了几十年，却一直没有得到彻底解决，这给国家带来了巨大的财政负担，引发了严重的社会危机，并对公民构成了切实的安全威胁。

他表示，对于涉及两个国家的问题，仅靠执法行动是不够的；相反，需要原籍国的合作，才能以有序和分阶段的方式进行接收、登记和遣返程序。

“我们采取的方法是：维护法律，执行法律，并利用外交渠道寻求解决方案。”

他说：“尽管马来西亚不是1951年《关于难民地位的公约》及其1967年议定书的缔约国，但我们选择采取坚定而文明的方式，以同情心和东盟大家庭精神为中心，以有序和负责任的方式执行每一项行动，不损害国家安全和主权。”

赛夫丁·纳苏蒂安表示，今天的第一个阶段仅仅是一个开始，后续阶段将在识别、文件编制、核实和运营准备程序完成后立即进行。

“我们正开始依法解决一个长期遗留的问题。我们维护国家主权。马来西亚公民的安全、福祉和利益仍然是我们的首要任务。”

今天，共有 1476 名缅甸难民被拘留者——包括 1370 名男性、79 名女性和 27 名儿童——在霹雳州卢穆特的马来西亚皇家海军基地被遣返回国。

遣返行动由缅甸海军舰艇执行，包括“莫阿塔玛”号（UMS Moattama）、护航舰“金辛普辛”号（UMS King Sin Phyu Shin）和医疗船“萨尔温”号（UMS Thanlwin）。——马新社

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