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Myanmar's military government says it has verified over 300,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh as former residents of Rakhine state, pledging to accept their return when security conditions stabilize. The refugee crisis enters its ninth year with repatriation efforts stalled.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that Myanmar has agreed to accept 5,000 Rohingya refugees currently in Malaysia, marking an initial breakthrough in addressing the protracted displacement crisis affecting the region.
Malaysia's Foreign Minister signals the country could reassess its relationship with UNHCR unless the UN agency agrees to implement stricter joint screening procedures for refugee card applicants, particularly addressing concerns about attracting undocumented migrants.
Malaysia has instructed the UNHCR to temporarily suspend all refugee registrations to reorganise its refugee management system through a new government-controlled Refugee Registration Document programme, Deputy Foreign Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni announced.
Malaysia is developing an independent system to manage refugees and asylum seekers, focusing on efficient administration, welfare access, and security safeguards, with over 126,000 Rohingya refugees currently registered.
Malaysia pledges to intensify collaboration with ASEAN and UNHCR on the Rohingya crisis, combining diplomatic pressure with humanitarian support while acknowledging structural limitations in regional decision-making.