Kuala lumpur: The Home Ministry (KDN) has initiated the process of identifying, documenting, and screening Rohingya refugees residing in Malaysia as a preparatory step towards the repatriation of 5,000 Myanmar nationals. This initiative follows an agreement by the Myanmar government to accept the return of its citizens who are currently in Malaysia.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stated that this process is being executed through the Refugee Registration Document (DPP) in accordance with the National Security Council (MKN) Directive No. 23. The KDN is spearheading this effort alongside other relevant regulatory agencies. The DPP process encompasses several stages, including tracing, identification, security screening, and determining the status of each individual before issuing confirmation documents.
The screening procedures will be conducted by the police (PDRM) and the Immigration Department of Malaysia. Saifuddin Nasution explained that at the conclusion of the process, individuals will receive a decision regarding their refugee status, and documents will be issued to confirm this status. These remarks were made at a press conference following his attendance at the Drug-Free Aspiration Tour: Healthy Felda Community, Prosperous Kedah, Programme, officiated by Kedah Raja Muda Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah Sultan Sallehuddin at Felda Bukit Tangga.
The agreement between Malaysia and Myanmar initially targets the return of 5,000 people, contingent upon identification and screening to ensure adherence to the necessary criteria. Currently, approximately 22,000 detainees are held across 19 immigration depots nationwide, including around 4,000 Myanmar nationals who have been earmarked for this process.
To streamline the process, these 4,000 individuals will be relocated to a single depot rather than being dispersed across multiple locations. This consolidation aims to facilitate documentation, security checks, and coordination among the involved agencies. Saifuddin Nasution emphasized that the process is already in progress and has moved beyond the planning stage. The Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) will coordinate discussions with the Myanmar government once the process is completed.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim previously announced that Myanmar had agreed to accept the return of 5,000 Rohingya refugees in Malaysia, following negotiations between the two countries.