Allowing refugees the right to work will benefit Malaysia

HAKAM (Persatuan Kebangsaan Hak Asasi Manusia, or the National Human Rights Society) commemorates World Refugee Day that is marked every year on June 20.

In line with this year’s theme, “Solidarity with Refugees”, Hakam wishes to emphasise the need for the Malaysian government to enable refugees here to feel safe and begin rebuilding their lives.

As at the end of May this year, there were 200,260 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kuala Lumpur. Men make up 64% and women, 36%; there are 59,250 children below the age of 18.

Hakam welcomes the government’s announcement in February that it would review proposals to allow refugees the right to work legally in Malaysia.

The National Security Council (NSC) Directive No. 23: Policy and Mechanism for Managing Refugees and Asylum Seekers (2023 revision) was signed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, on June 14, 2023. The right to work for refugees is long overdue – however, this document remains confidential.

Hakam calls upon the government:

> To make public the content and action plan for NSC Directive No.23 to enable stakeholders to support the government in its initiatives.

> To ensure the registration of refugees within the government database is carried out in coordination with UNHCR to ensure confidentiality and privacy of the data without fear of retaliation from authorities.

> To consider the right to work for refugees in a positive manner for the following reasons:

(a) According to research by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs published in 2019 entitled “The Economic Impact of Granting Refugees in Malaysia the Right To Work”, granting refugees this right would have contributed over RM3bil to GDP by 2024 through higher spending, including an increase in tax revenues, with a total contribution estimated at RM50mil each year by 2024.

(b) A legal right to work would prevent refugees from being exploited for forced labour and trafficking.

(c) Refugees would be able to sustain themselves and their families, pay for education for children, and access adequate healthcare – these are the fundamental rights of every human being.

The resolution of the conflict in Myanmar – that began following the February 2021 military coup – would greatly reduce refugee and asylum- seeker issues in the Asean region. As such, Hakam calls upon the Malaysian government to take a strong stand as a member – and current Chair – of Asean to urge Myanmar to call for a permanent cease fire within its borders and to move towards a peaceful resolution in line with the Five-Point Consensus established at the Asean Leaders’ meeting on April 24, 2021.

Hakam would like to honour all refugees in Malaysia and around the world for their resilience, courage and determination to move forward with their lives in the face of huge adversities. We urge societies to change their negative perceptions of refugees and to view them as individuals deserving dignity, respect, and support.

DATUK SERI M. RAMACHELVAM

President

National Human Rights Society (Hakam)