LANDLORDS are allowed to rent out their properties to refugees who have proper documentation to be in the country, said a local council expert. 

Lawyer Derek Fernandez said the authorities can’t penalise anyone who rents out their properties to refugees who are United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) card holders. 

“If the refugee is recognised by the UN and Malaysia has an agreement with UN in relation to the refugees then it is highly questionable to take action against those who are renting out their premises to the refugees. 

“If a person is allowed by the government to come into this country albeit as a refugee and if there is no restriction placed on where that person is to reside temporarily pending repatriation, then it is wrong to penalise landlords,” he told The Malaysian Insight. 

Earlier, human rights group Tenaganita said that Putrajaya should treat refugees and undocumented migrants more humanely as authorities go after their landlords. 

They said that at least 700 Rohingya refugees have lost their dwellings in Kuala Lumpur this week after City Hall issued a notice barring undocumented migrants from renting houses in the city.

Tenaganita added that if refugees and undocumented migrants were to lose their houses they would then become homeless and become a possible source of Covid-19 infection.

Fernandez said that a refugee registered with the UNHCR and allowed into Malaysia by agreement of the government pursuant to international arrangements is not an illegal immigrant and is entitled to rent accommodation pending resettlement to a new country.  

“The Malaysian government has not ordered such refugees into camps and as such they can rent property.”

He said that if landlords have doubts about a tenant they suspect is not Malaysian, then they should ask the person to show their UN refugee card.

“They can even check the information on the card or with the local UNHCR office.” 

Fernandez added that action can be taken if they have breached their refugee status. 

“Of course the Immigration Department has the power to take action against those who are harbouring illegal migrants. 

“But, there must be a distinction made between refugees who are recognised by the UN and accepted as refugees and those that enter the country as illegal migrants.”

As of March, 179,521 UNHCR cardholders have been temporarily residing in Malaysia, 56.6% of which are Rohingya. – July 12, 2020.