Malaysia vows not to return Rohingya refugees to Myanmar if lives at risk | Refugees News
Malaysia to Reassess Potential Repatriation of Rohingya Refugees Amid Concerns of Persecution
Published August 5, 2026
Malaysia has announced it will not move forward with the repatriation of 5,000 Rohingya refugees to Myanmar if there is a risk to their lives upon return. The country’s government is currently reviewing the repatriation plan previously mentioned by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
On Wednesday, government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil stated that both the foreign and home ministries are examining the situation closely. He emphasized that the safety of the refugees remains a priority.
Malaysia currently hosts over 215,000 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), with more than 126,000 of these individuals being Rohingya. This community represents the largest group of refugees in the country.
Despite housing a significant refugee population, Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and does not formally recognize refugee status. Many Rohingya fled Myanmar following a military crackdown in 2017, which forced thousands to seek asylum abroad.
Rights organizations have reported a rise in online hate campaigns and disinformation targeting Rohingya refugees in Malaysia, contributing to xenophobia and intimidation. Recently, refugee schools across the country shut down due to an upsurge in hate speech, while refugees faced evictions from informal settlements in Penang state. Additionally, more than 100 Rohingya were briefly detained after gathering outside the UNHCR office in Kuala Lumpur to seek assistance; they were later released upon verification of their valid UN documentation.
Fadzil reiterated that Malaysia would only proceed with the repatriation plan if it can guarantee that the refugees would not face persecution or threats upon their return. He remarked, “Malaysia, as a responsible country, will not return the 5,000 Myanmar refugees if they would either be persecuted or their lives would be threatened.”
While Myanmar’s military government, led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, has indicated its readiness to accept the refugees, Fadzil stressed the necessity of assessing the situation before making any decisions.
Human Rights Watch and Malaysia’s primary Rohingya rights group have criticized the proposed repatriation, urging the government to reconsider. Bryony Lau, the organization’s deputy director for Asia, stated, “The Malaysian government should show regional leadership in responding to the crisis in Myanmar rather than forcibly returning people who are the targets of the junta’s brutality.”
The military authorities in Myanmar have not publicly responded to the repatriation proposal.
