PUTRAJAYA wants to come to an understanding with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on its role and responsibilities in managing refugees and asylum seekers effectively in Malaysia, said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. 

In a statement, the Deputy Prime Minister said a consensus would enhance the enforcement and management mechanism of government agencies, UNHCR, and civil society organisations. 

Zahid said committees and a special task force would be established to manage refugees and asylum seekers. 

He said Putrajaya would also be more involved in determining the status of refugees that was previously carried out by UNHCR unilaterally. 

“Coordination in monitoring, assistance, and social support throughout the period for refugees in Malaysia will be limited to those who have registered with the government only as a preparation before they are placed in a third country,” he said in the statement. 

He said such an agreement with UNHCR would be in accordance with Resolution 428(V) of the United Nations Convention 1950, which covered the UN body’s supervisory responsibility towards refugees. 

The statement was issued after the deputy prime minister had chaired the high committee meeting on managing refugees and asylum seekers by the National Security Council. 

Zahid said there were currently 185,760 UNHCR card holders in the country.  

Of the number, 160,332 were from Myanmar with 67% of them being Rohingya. 

He noted that some were Pakistanis (7,109), Yemenis (3,466), Afghans (3,444), Somalians (3,161) and Syrians (3,161). – May 8, 2023.