Malaysia repatriates 10,000 Myanmar nationals since January

Myanmar has been in a state of turmoil since a military coup in 2021, which ignited a nationwide civil war and prompted hundreds of thousands to seek refuge in neighboring nations. Malaysia currently hosts around 193,000 refugees from Myanmar, according to United Nations data. However, the Malaysian government has expressed growing frustration, citing the presence of refugees as a financial burden and a security risk.

Malaysia is not a signatory to the UN refugee convention and classifies asylum-seekers as illegal migrants. Anwar stated that some repatriations were conducted via planes arranged by the Myanmar government, while about 1,400 individuals were returned by sea last week under a bilateral agreement.

Rights groups and some lawmakers have raised concerns about the safety of those being repatriated. Anwar acknowledged these concerns, noting that Myanmar authorities have provided assurances that returnees will not face harm. He added that Malaysia's conditions for repatriation include the safe return of citizens and fair treatment without abuses, coercion, or rights violations. Anwar indicated he would continue discussions on the matter with Myanmar's leader, President Min Aung Hlaing, who is scheduled to visit Kuala Lumpur this month.