Malaysia to proceed with repatriation of 5,000 Myanmar refugees after court ruling, says home minister

Malaysia to proceed with repatriation of 5,000 Myanmar refugees after court ruling, says home minister



The government will continue efforts to repatriate Myanmar refugees to their country of origin through lawful channels and established diplomatic processes, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin


First Published: Thursday, 29 Oct 2026 2:10 PM MYT


PUTRAJAYA, Oct 29 — The government will continue efforts to repatriate Myanmar refugees to their country of origin through lawful channels and established diplomatic processes, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said.

He said the repatriation efforts would proceed in line with the court’s decision to dismiss the Malaysian Bar’s application for a stay.

Saifuddin Nasution said the Home Ministry and the Foreign Ministry would continue negotiations with the Myanmar government to facilitate the repatriation of the second group, unless the court ruled otherwise.

“Let the legal process determine the outcome. Until there is a decision to the contrary, we will continue with the repatriation.


“For now, the Malaysian Bar’s application for a stay has been dismissed, so we will proceed. The judicial review has been fixed for Dec 8,” he said in his speech at the Home Ministry’s monthly assembly and Innovation Day celebration here today.

Media reports said the High Court had dismissed the Malaysian Bar’s application to temporarily halt the repatriation of about 5,000 Myanmar refugees and asylum seekers, ruling that a stay could not be granted before leave for judicial review was given.

Judge Norliza Othman said the dismissal did not affect the Malaysian Bar’s right to renew its application after the court had decided whether to grant leave for judicial review.

Meanwhile, Saifuddin Nasution urged the public not to take matters into their own hands over the presence of Myanmar refugees, stressing that enforcement should be left entirely to the authorities.


He acknowledged that refugee issues could give rise to various socioeconomic problems, but said the public should not go to extremes or act beyond the law.

“Their arrival has caused economic, political and social problems in certain communities, prompting some members of the public to take matters into their own hands, such as attacking their homes or forcing them out of their villages.


“The police are carrying out their duties and are urging the public not to take the law into their own hands. Leave it to the authorities and immigration enforcement agencies, which are conducting continuous operations,” he said.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia had opted for a diplomatic approach with Myanmar to address the refugee issue, despite facing international condemnation and criticism over the government’s stance.

He said that following discussions with the Myanmar authorities, the country had agreed to repatriate some of its nationals in Malaysia at its own expense, including by air and sea.

To date, about 10,300 Myanmar nationals have been repatriated, while another 3,000 are expected to undergo the repatriation process this month. — Bernama