PUTRAJAYA: The Refugee Registration Document (DPP) Programme is not a pathway for refugees to remain in Malaysia permanently, obtain Permanent Resident (PR) status or acquire Malaysian citizenship, says the Home Ministry.
The ministry said any employment access granted to DPP holders would be temporary and limited, subject to conditions and government approval.
“The DPP is also not an incentive or pull factor for new refugees to enter Malaysia.
“The government has set Jan 1, 2023, as the eligibility cut-off date, meaning only individuals who were already in Malaysia before that date may be considered for participation in the programme,” it said in a statement yesterday.
It added that holding a card or letter issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) did not automatically qualify an individual for the programme.
The ministry said the implementation of the DPP did not change the government’s objective of repatriating refugees to their countries of origin or resettling them in third countries.
“Instead, the DPP is a mechanism to identify, screen, document and monitor existing refugees while a long-term solution is pursued in accordance with the law,” it said, Bernama reported.
It also clarified that granting employment access to DPP holders did not mean the country’s labour market was being opened to refugees without restrictions.
The ministry explained that the programme took into account the actual needs of industries, particularly sectors facing labour shortages in 3D (dirty, dangerous and difficult) jobs that were less likely to attract local workers.
“Priority for employment opportunities for Malaysian citizens remains protected, in line with the foreign worker employment policy and national security interests,” it said.
At the same time, the ministry said lawful employment access would enable refugees to acquire skills, gain experience and build verifiable employment records.
Such an approach would also allow the government to manage foreign workers already in Malaysia in a more controlled manner, thereby reducing the need to recruit additional foreign workers to fill certain vacancies, it added.
The ministry noted that the refugee issue was a longstanding challenge that had persisted for decades, with implications for the country’s economy, society, security and law enforcement.
As such, it said the ministry and the Foreign Ministry would continue working with countries of origin and third countries to facilitate long-term solutions.
