PETALING JAYA: The government has finalised plans for the first phase of a voluntary repatriation programme involving eligible Myanmar nationals, with 1,476 individuals expected to return to their country of origin on Sept 29.
The Home Ministry said the group forms part of 5,000 Myanmar nationals who will be repatriated in phases under an arrangement with the Myanmar government.
“The first phase of the programme involves 1,476 Myanmar nationals who have been identified by the Myanmar government.
“The repatriation process will utilise two Myanmar Navy warships and a hospital ship,” the ministry said in a statement on Thursday (Aug 27).
Separately, the ministry said 4,008 individuals, primarily of Rohingya ethnicity, will undergo the Refugee Registration Document (DPP) programme this year for biometric and identity verification.
As of Aug 15, there were 10,388 Myanmar nationals held at Immigration detention depots, although the ministry stressed that the figure included all detained Myanmar nationals and should not be viewed as representing refugees alone.
The Immigration Department, together with the police, is carrying out the DPP process to verify each individual's identity, citizenship, immigration status, refugee claims and security background.
The registration process for those in detention is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year.
