Malaysia says it will not send 5,000 Rohingya back to Myanmar if safety is uncertain

Malaysia's government declared it will not proceed with sending 5,000 Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar if their lives could be at risk, pending a review by the foreign and home ministries. The review follows Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's earlier statement about repatriation. Malaysia shelters more than 215,000 refugees and asylum seekers, including over 126,000 Rohingya, despite not being a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Recent incidents, such as the closure of refugee schools and evictions in Penang, have heightened tensions. Human Rights Watch and a leading Rohingya rights group urged the government to halt the plan, citing ongoing persecution by Myanmar’s military government led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. The military authorities have not issued a comment on the proposal.