Malaysia PM Orders Action Against Rohingya Gathered Outside UN Refugee Agency

The Gulf Observer

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Monday instructed enforcement agencies to take action against a group of Rohingya refugees who gathered outside the United Nations refugee agency's office in Kuala Lumpur, saying those without valid documentation would be detained.

According to the New Straits Times, hundreds of Rohingya refugees were reportedly evicted from their homes in the northern state of Penang on Sunday before travelling by bus to the capital to seek assistance from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with resettlement.

The reported evictions come amid a surge in online hate speech and misinformation targeting the Rohingya community since May. The campaign has led to increased harassment and scrutiny of the ethnic minority, including widespread school closures.

UNHCR estimates that Malaysia was hosting around 215,600 registered refugees and asylum seekers at the end of February, more than half of whom are Rohingya Muslims who fled persecution in Myanmar.

In a video posted on his social media accounts, Anwar said Malaysia must strictly enforce its immigration laws, adding that the gathering outside the UNHCR office had raised concerns among local residents.

"No one has the right ‌to ⁠take over any part of the city," he said. "I have directed immigration, police, and the local authorities to take strict action.

"Those without permits are to be brought to (the Immigration Department). The rest should be warned that action can be taken against them."

The UNHCR office in Kuala Lumpur told Reuters on Friday that it was concerned by rising online hate speech, disinformation and dehumanising narratives targeting Rohingya and other refugees, which it ⁠said could fuel harassment and discrimination offline.

Although Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and treats asylum seekers as undocumented migrants under its domestic laws, the Muslim-majority country has long been regarded as a safe haven for Rohingya fleeing persecution in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar.

That perception shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic, when members of the Rohingya community were accused of spreading the virus, failing to respect local cultural norms and competing with Malaysians for employment, fuelling growing public hostility towards the refugee population.



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