Refugees and asylum-seekers should be afforded respect and dignity

On World Refugee Day- which is observed on June 20 annually - the Malaysian Bar reiterates its call on the Government to uphold and respect the rights and dignity of all refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia.

Malaysia hosts a significant population of refugees and asylum-seekers. Based on the statistics provided by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Malaysia, there are 179,570 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with them in Malaysia. Refugees and asylum-seekers are victims of persecution who are compelled to flee to foreign lands to seek refuge. It is disheartening to see that the Malaysian Government still does not expressly recognise the concept of refugees or asylum-seekers. Recent reports of raids conducted on migrant communities as a means to curb the spread of Covid-19 in Malaysia are not only undesirable, but also may potentially create a situation that accelerates the transmission of the virus. Refugees and asylum-seekers often have to operate under the radar of enforcement authorities, and this makes them vulnerable to arrest, detention and deportation. This community is forced to fend for themselves and their families without legal protection, exposing them to exploitation. Their plight becomes even more apparent during the age of Covid-19, where everyone’s life has been upended.