KUALA LUMPUR – The government is considering expanding social assistance for refugees registered with the authorities and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), including the possibility of granting them legal employment in Malaysia.
However, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the specifics of the policy are still under review, taking into account sectoral labour needs and requirements.
She stressed that any policy decision would only be finalised once all refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia are officially registered with the government.
“At present, the government is implementing National Security Council Directive No. 23: Policy and Mechanism for Managing Refugees and Asylum Seekers (2023 revision), which was signed by the Prime Minister on 14 June 2023.
“This directive will be used by the government to oversee and manage refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia, including defining the roles and responsibilities of the relevant government agencies,” she said yesterday evening, as quoted by a local daily.
Dr Zaliha was responding in a written reply to Teresa Kok Suh Sim (PH-Seputeh) in the Dewan Rakyat, who had asked whether UNHCR-recognised refugees could be allowed to work legally to help address the country’s labour shortage.
She further noted that Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or the 1967 Refugee Protocol.
“However, on humanitarian grounds, Malaysia has extended social assistance to Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, as well as refugees from other countries.
“The government allows these groups to remain in the country temporarily under existing laws before they are resettled in a third country or repatriated to their country of origin,” she said.