by RK desk
August 4, 2026
Human Rights Watch has urged the Malaysian government to reverse any plan that could lead to the forced return of Rohingya refugees and other people from Myanmar, warning that they could face persecution, violence, and other serious human rights abuses if sent back.
The warning followed a series of announcements by Malaysian officials. On July 23, Malaysia’s deputy foreign minister told Parliament that the government planned to return 5,000 Myanmar nationals being held in immigration detention. Six days later, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Myanmar authorities had agreed to receive 5,000 Rohingya from Malaysia.
Human Rights Watch said no refugee or asylum seeker should be returned without an individual and fair assessment of their need for international protection.
“Malaysia has for many years hosted refugees from Myanmar who have fled unending oppression and atrocities by the Myanmar military,” said Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
Lau said Malaysia should demonstrate regional leadership in responding to the crisis in Myanmar rather than returning people who remain at risk of abuse.
More than 215,000 refugees and asylum seekers were registered with the UN Refugee Agency in Malaysia as of the end of February 2026. Nearly 194,000 were from Myanmar, including approximately 126,000 Rohingya.
Despite hosting a large refugee population, Malaysia has no comprehensive legal framework for recognising and protecting refugees. People entering or remaining in the country without valid immigration documents can be arrested and detained, with authorities generally making no legal distinction between refugees, asylum seekers, trafficking survivors, and other undocumented migrants.
Malaysia introduced a government-run refugee registration system in January 2026. Refugees approved under the system are expected to receive temporary permission to remain in the country and, in some cases, the right to work.
However, Human Rights Watch said Malaysian authorities have not demonstrated that the system meets basic international standards. These include non-discrimination, confidentiality, data protection, procedural fairness, and the right to appeal a rejected asylum claim.
The Malaysian government also instructed UNHCR in July to temporarily suspend the registration of new refugees. Since 2019, UNHCR has been denied access to Malaysia’s immigration detention centres, preventing the agency from assessing the protection needs of detainees or assisting recognised refugees held there.
Human Rights Watch stressed that Malaysia remains bound by the international legal principle of non-refoulement, even though it has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol. The principle prohibits states from sending anyone to a place where they face a real risk of persecution, torture, threats to life, or other serious human rights violations.
The rights group said the conditions required for a safe, voluntary, and dignified return do not exist in Myanmar. Armed conflict continues across the country, while the Myanmar military remains responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Rohingya face additional dangers because Myanmar continues to deny them citizenship and fundamental rights. They have endured decades of systematic persecution, including the military’s genocidal violence in 2017. More recently, Rohingya civilians in Arakan State have faced killings, forced displacement, arbitrary detention, and other abuses by both the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army.
Human Rights Watch also warned that Rohingya refugees in Malaysia are facing escalating hostility. Anti-Rohingya disinformation, hate speech, immigration raids, and vigilante violence have increased their exposure to harassment and abuse.
“The Malaysian government is fueling hostility towards refugees when it should be building support for and trust in its new refugee registration system,” Lau said.
She called on Malaysia to allow refugees from Myanmar to remain in the country while their asylum claims are fairly assessed, without subjecting them to harassment, arrest, detention, or forced return.
