PAKATAN Harapan (PH) leaders have urged Putrajaya to initiate dialogue between ASEAN leaders and the Myanmar junta to return democracy and end repressive acts following the military coup in the country.

The PH Presidential Council said dialogue is crucial to ending the violent repression of peaceful demonstrators, to release prisoners of conscience, and to resume Parliamentary functions in Myanmar.

Putrajaya must also reconsider the repatriation of 1,200 Myanmar nationals because such an action would legitimise and acknowledge the Tatmadaw military junta, the council said in a statement today.

“The act of repatriating refugees to a conflict zone before stability and peace has been truly established may jeopardise the safety of these refugees.”

Earlier today, the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted an interim stay against the Malaysian government from deporting the migrants.

This was after Amnesty International Malaysia and Asylum Access Malaysia jointly filed for a judicial review in the KL High Court to stop the government’s planned deportation of the individuals back to Myanmar.

The Myanmar nationals were scheduled to be deported today from the Lumut naval base, by the Myanmar navy which had sent its ships over.

Instead, the court ordered a leave hearing scheduled for 10am tomorrow.

PH said that even with the interim stay decision, it may not stop the Malaysian government from continuing with the repatriation process after that period is over.

“PH is informed that there is a possibility that there are a number of children from among the 1,200 Myanmar nationals to be repatriated who may be separated from their parents.

“If this is true, then it is a worrying development. We therefore request that the authorities, with the assistance of the UNHCR, promptly verify whether this is truly the case or not.”

Earlier, Amnesty International Malaysia had said the interim stay granted by the High Court does not mean that the migrants are safe from being deported.

Its executive director Katrina Jorene Maliamauv said the migrants are still facing life-threatening risks.

“It’s important to note that the stay of execution granted by the court does not mean the 1,200 are safe from being deported,” Katrina said.

“We urge the government to reconsider its plans to send this group of vulnerable people back to Myanmar, where human rights violations are currently dangerously high.” – February 23, 2021.