KUALA LUMPUR: The mobile teams implemented by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) last month to register refugees in the country have been a success.
UNHCR representative to Malaysia Volker Turk said the move was implemented to register asylum seekers, especially from Myanmar and Aceh, to ensure that they were protected from police raids and from being detained.
“Our main concern was that any crackdown on the illegal immigrants should not affect refugees and other persons of concern to UNHCR.
“We understand that the Government has the right to take law enforcement measures against illegal immigrants, but we wanted to make sure that it is done in a humanitarian manner and that refugees are not affected by it,” said Turk.
He said illegal immigrants could go back to their home countries but it was difficult for a refugee to go back for protection reasons.
Since the first mobile team exercise was such a success, UNHCR is planning another one early next year.
