Lawmaker Madius Tangau urges Malaysia to pass dedicated refugee legislation

In a parliamentary address, Madius Tangau argued that Malaysia cannot effectively manage refugee flows without a stand-alone refugee law, as current reliance on discretionary administration creates room for inconsistency, political meddling and potential abuse of power. He referenced the historical handling of three refugee groups - Vietnamese arrivals after 1975, the decades-long Filipino presence in Sabah, and recent Rohingya arrivals on the peninsula - to highlight the pitfalls of ad-hoc policies.

Tangau noted that the Vietnamese case showed the importance of clear temporary protection and exit routes, while the Filipino situation demonstrated how indefinite status can become a multi-generational issue. He warned that the proposed Document Registration of Refugees (DPP) must not become a new version of IMM13, which was issued to Filipino migrants in the 1970s without a clear exit strategy. The lawmaker called for biometric registration, defined refugee status and transparent criteria for each group to ensure a consistent, non-political approach.