THE government yesterday approved the adoption of the Tracking Refugees Information System (TRIS) for all United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) cardholders in Malaysia.

Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin said UNHCR cardholders in the country must register with TRIS to identify their whereabouts and their reporting to the country.

“Yesterday, the cabinet approved the programme (TRIS) to ensure all data on UNHCR cardholders have been registered again with TRIS,” he said at a press conference after attending a townhall session on northern zone Hari Kita Demi Negara organised by the Home Ministry at Dewan Astaka, Batu Kurau in Larut today.

“TRIS can also ensure whether they are living in our country for the purpose of employment or to carry out other matters, which could be improved through the policy approved by the National Security Council.”

Hamzah, who is also Larut MP, said TRIS has undergone trials for several years and was given the approval to be implemented on a large scale. 

He said the implementation of TRIS has been handed over to a company, which, among others, is to ensure the data of all refugees, especially the location of their residence, is known.

TRIS is Malaysia’s database system on UNHCR cardholders and asylum seekers in addition to updating the management and profile processes along with the data collection, registration, profile storage, analysis and reporting processes for the government.

Asked on the first monkeypox patient in Thailand who disappeared in Phuket as soon as he was informed of the screening result, Hamzah said the matter has been handed over to police to identify the patient should he escape to Malaysia.

Yesterday, Bernama reported that Thai health authorities are looking for a 27-year-old man for treatment and to control the spread of the disease. – Bernama, July 23, 2022.