Kuala lumpur: Refugees must respect and comply with Malaysian laws while the country, in turn, recognises the need to protect those fleeing conflict and persecution, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, UNHCR Representative in Malaysia Louise Aubin emphasized that refugees are not exempt from the laws of a host country and highlighted the mutual respect that should exist between the hosting state and the refugees. "All refugees must abide by the law. Refugees are not immune to the laws of a country. So there's a mutual respect that is established. It's almost like a contract between the hosting state and refugees. Refugees must respect the law," Aubin stated.
She made these remarks to reporters during the Kuala Lumpur Conference: Solidarity with Refugees, held in conjunction with World Refugee Day. The conference was jointly organised by the Global Peace Mission (GPM) Malaysia and Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM), with support from the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia.
Addressing public concerns, particularly about the Rohingya community, Aubin stressed that the UNHCR implements stringent criteria when determining refugee status, noting that not everyone entering Malaysia qualifies as a refugee. She explained that the UNHCR conducts thorough interviews and cross-references information globally to verify the authenticity of individuals' claims about their identity and the reasons they fled their home countries.
Aubin also expressed support for Malaysia's initiative to establish a more structured refugee management system through the Refugee Registration Document Programme. This program aims to enhance national security by collecting verified identity and biometric data. She added that such measures are crucial for ensuring that refugees do not remain in a state of displacement indefinitely and can eventually return home when conditions in their home countries improve.
"I think that requires our entire priority and support going forward because that is the system that will really not only protect refugees correctly, but it will ensure that refugees find solutions," Aubin concluded.