SHAH ALAM: The National Security Council is still mulling a decision to close the office of the United Nations High Commission For Refugees (UNHCR) in the long term.
National Security Council Director-General Datuk Rodzi Md Saad said that this was to enable local authorities to take the management of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers into their own hands as it was a matter of national security.
He said currently, when UNHCR refugee status cards are granted to asylum seekers, such cases are not referred to the police or Immigration.
“This is not fair to us as we should be giving our input on who can or cannot be accepted into the country.
“As there is no reference to our authorities before a decision is made, it is like an act of disrespect to our country,” he said.
Rodzi added that this practice should be curbed.
“We find that undocumented migrants see Malaysia as an attractive destination because of the access to facilities that they can get. On the other hand, we want to prioritise these for our own citizens.”
Rodzi added that Malaysia should not be made attractive for foreigners to come and stay illegally.
“The goal is to take over the management of asylum seekers without outside intervention,” he said during the National Security Policy 2021-2025 Literacy Programme: Discourse on the Formation of the Security Mindset of Selangor State Civil Servants 2022 in Shah Alam Tuesday (Sept 6).
“However, we have to first strengthen our mechanisms to ensure that our methods are in order and good enough to improve the situation before we recommend this to the federal government.
“Things are still in the framework and we are still considering the pros and cons. Only when we are sure that we are able implement the policies under Directive No. 23 of the NCS with robust mechanisms, then we will follow up with the closure of the UNHCR offices in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru,” said Rodzi.
Directive No. 23 (2009) refers to the Mechanisms for the Management of Illegal Immigrants that hold UNHCR Cards.
Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its associated 1967 Protocol
When pressed for a time frame, Rodzi said that it is subjective and depends on federal agencies’ own internal preparations and readiness.
“This is not something that will happen in the near future, as the federal agencies need to prepare themselves to manage the situation. For as long as we are unable to form a robust mechanism to deal with the issues, we will not carry it out.”
Rodzi said that if the day comes, there will be a committee comprising the relevant bodies and chaired by a senior minister.
