KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia has urged United Nations member states, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) to expedite the resettlement of refugees and asylum seekers to third countries.
Foreign Ministry Deputy Secretary-General (Multilateral Affairs) Datuk Bala Chandran Tharman said Malaysia currently hosts 185,666 registered refugees and asylum seekers, the highest number in Southeast Asia.
He said despite facing numerous constraints such as limited resources, capacity, and strain on social infrastructure, including health services, Malaysia is committed to managing the influx and providing support.
“While refugees continue to receive support, the continuous influx of refugees into the country brings additional challenges to the government,” he said during a UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group meeting late yesterday evening.
“As an example, the government has settled with accumulated unpaid medical bills amounting to RM5.46 million, not to mention the strain that has been put on social services.”
Bala made these statements following recommendations from delegates from several countries, including Gambia and France, who called for the enhancement of the rights and conditions of migrants and refugees, which includes access to legal protection, basic services, and humanitarian assistance.
In response, Bala said Malaysia’s current efforts include offering healthcare services, access to education, and employment opportunities.
He said refugee children also have educational opportunities through 18 alternative learning centres registered with the Malaysian government.
Bala also said the strain Malaysia faced in handling the influx of migrants could be addressed with the cooperation of the international community.
He said that for this reason, Malaysia called upon the UNHCR IOM to ensure the swift resettlement of refugees and asylum seekers to third countries.
“Resettlement must remain a priority, and this undertaking shall serve as a cornerstone of cooperation between Malaysia and the human rights community.
“And that is on the principle of burden and responsibility sharing. We will soon approach member states, the UNHCR, and the IOM with specific suggestions and requests for the resettlement of refugees to third countries.”
This comes as Malaysia’s human rights record undergoes examination by the UPR Working Group for the fourth time in Geneva, Switzerland.
Malaysia is among the 14 states reviewed during this session from January 22 to February 2, 2024.
The UPR Working Group, consisting of the 47 Member States of the Human Rights Council, conducts the review with participation from all 193 UN Member States.
The UPR reviews are based on national reports, information from independent human rights experts, and reports from various stakeholders, including civil society groups.
The UPR is a peer review mechanism for the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States. During the fourth UPR cycle, states are expected to detail the steps taken to implement previous recommendations and highlight recent human rights developments in the country, according to the UN.
The three country representatives serving as rapporteurs (“troika”) for the review of Malaysia are Argentina, Eritrea, and Vietnam. – January 26, 2024