KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will develop its own mechanism to manage refugees and asylum seekers without relying on foreign entities, as stipulated under National Security Council (NSC) Directive No. 23 on the Policy and Mechanism for the Management of Refugees and Asylum Seekers (2023 revision).
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the mechanism would focus on efficient management and enforcement, policy coordination involving access to welfare and social services, while safeguarding national security and sovereignty.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said this would include providing eligible refugees with access to healthcare, education and employment.
"Effective management of refugee issues also requires a balance between enforcement of national laws and the community's social responsibilities.
"The government's enforcement strategies are often undermined by the presence of enablers among local residents who act out of personal interests, such as rental profits or access to cheap labour," he said in a written reply published on the Parliament portal Thursday (July 16).
He was responding to Datuk Shamshulkahar Mohd Deli (BN-Jempol), who asked about the government's efforts to formulate a comprehensive refugee policy following the implementation of the Refugee Registration Document (DPP), given that Malaysia hosts more than 126,000 registered Rohingya refugees.
Ahmad Zahid said the government, through the NSC under the Prime Minister's Department, in collaboration with various ministries and government agencies, had strengthened NSC Directive No. 23, which was signed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on June 14, 2023, as part of efforts to manage refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia.
He said the comprehensive NSC Directive No. 23 was intended, among others, to define the functions and roles of every ministry and government agency involved in the management of refugees and asylum seekers in the country. - Bernama
