KUALA LUMPUR – Myanmar has expressed its willingness to repatriate 5,000 of its refugees by ship, but the move must take into account their safety and welfare, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He said the matter was raised during his recent meeting with Myanmar Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe, although the proposed repatriation exercise could only proceed after security considerations for the refugees had been addressed, Bernama reported.
“They stated their willingness to bring back these 5,000 (refugees) by ship. But the issue is the safety of these 5,000 people.
“Will they be safe when we send them back? Or what will happen to them? That also needs to be considered,” he told a press conference after attending the 59th ASEAN Day celebration here on Monday.
Mohamad said Malaysia had identified all 5,000 refugees involved, adding that while no specific timeline had been set, efforts to facilitate their return should be expedited.
He also stressed that the Myanmar refugee issue should not be viewed solely through the lens of the Rohingya community, as other ethnic groups from the country, including the Chin and Karen communities, had also become refugees.
He said ASEAN viewed the Myanmar refugee crisis seriously and that the matter required collective efforts from member states.
Mohamad emphasised that the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) must remain the core framework for ASEAN’s approach in addressing the crisis in Myanmar.
“We want the 5PC to remain the core of ASEAN’s mechanism towards Myanmar and we want the Myanmar government to fulfil the wishes of ASEAN leaders because the 5PC was signed and agreed upon by everyone, including the Myanmar leadership at that time.
“If there are any changes that need to be made to the 5PC, it must return to the negotiating table and be brought forward for a decision by the ASEAN leaders themselves,” he said. – August 10, 2026