A Rohingya human rights group in Malaysia has urged Prime Minister Anwar to reconsider the plan to repatriate 5,000 refugees to Myanmar, pointing out that ongoing conflict conditions do not allow for safe return and may violate international law principles of non-refoulement.
On 31 July 2026, the Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia issued a statement calling on Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to consult with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Rohingya representatives before proceeding with plans to send 5,000 refugees back to Myanmar.
This development followed Anwar's disclosure during a campaign speech ahead of the state election in Negeri Sembilan that the Myanmar government had agreed to receive 5,000 Rohingya currently in Malaysia, highlighting the good relations between Malaysia and Myanmar that enabled negotiations on this matter.
However, the Rohingya rights group stated that repatriating Rohingya at this time may violate the "non-refoulement" principle, a key tenet of international law prohibiting the return of individuals to places where their life, freedom, or safety would be at risk.
The group noted that Rohingya remain stateless and cannot safely return to Myanmar due to ongoing oppression and violence, questioning how stateless Rohingya could be safe within Myanmar.
Furthermore, the rights group warned that repatriated Rohingya may be forcibly conscripted into the Myanmar military without training and potentially used as human shields in ethnic conflicts, urging the international community to act urgently.
Malaysia, predominantly Muslim, is a key destination for Rohingya fleeing persecution in Myanmar, with data showing around 126,000 Rohingya registered with UNHCR in Malaysia.
. Source: Irrawaddy