Episode: KPN 04-06-2026

Malaysia’s New Refugee Registration Scheme Must Safeguard Rohingya Rights, Says Fortify Rights

Human rights organization Fortify Rights has urged the Malaysian government to ensure that its newly launched refugee registration system protects refugees and asylum seekers from arrest, detention, forced returns, and misuse of personal data.

Malaysia officially began the first phase of its new Refugee Registration Document (Dokumen Pendaftaran Pelarian – DPP) framework on June 1, targeting Rohingya and other refugees currently held in immigration detention centers across the country. The Ministry of Home Affairs is also expected to present a broader refugee management plan to the Cabinet later this month.

Fortify Rights welcomed efforts to improve refugee registration but warned that the system must prioritize protection and human rights.

“A refugee registration system could be a step forward, but only if it protects people rather than exposing them to new risks,” said John Quinley, Director of Fortify Rights. “Malaysia must ensure confidentiality, due process, cooperation with UNHCR, and safeguards against detention, forced returns, and misuse of refugee data.”

Security-Focused Approach Raises Concerns

The Malaysian government has largely presented the DPP initiative as a national security measure. Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the program would provide the government with more comprehensive information on refugees, enabling authorities to manage and monitor refugee populations more effectively.

Under the DPP system, authorities will collect biometric information, including fingerprints, voice recordings, facial recognition data, and other personal details.

Government officials have argued that, until now, refugee records were primarily maintained by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), leaving authorities without detailed information on refugee populations within the country.

Two-Stage Refugee Status Determination Process

The DPP framework introduces a two-stage refugee status determination process. Applications will first be reviewed by a Refugee Status Assessment Committee before being forwarded to a Special Committee on Refugee Status Determination for a final decision.

Only individuals officially recognized as refugees through this process will receive DPP documentation.

The first phase focuses on approximately 4,000 detained refugees, most of them Rohingya from Myanmar. Authorities have not yet announced when refugees living outside detention centers will be eligible to apply.

As part of the program, detainees will be transferred to the Bidor Refugee and Asylum Seeker Special Separation Centre, a facility converted from a former immigration detention center, where screening and assessments will take place before documents are issued.

However, the government has not disclosed how long assessments will take or how long refugees may remain at the facility while awaiting decisions.

Risk of Prolonged Detention and Legal Uncertainty

Fortify Rights noted that many Rohingya refugees have spent years in immigration detention due to Malaysia’s lack of legal recognition for refugees.

Malaysia is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and does not formally recognize refugee status under its immigration laws. At the same time, Myanmar continues to deny citizenship to most Rohingya, while often refusing to issue travel documents necessary for their return.

As a result, many Rohingya refugees remain trapped in prolonged legal limbo.

Concerns Over Excluding UNHCR

Refugee community leaders have also expressed concern that the DPP process appears to operate independently of UNHCR.

Government officials have described the DPP as the sole document for verifying refugee status and emphasized that the system will function without reliance on data from external organizations.

Refugee representatives warn that the absence of clear cooperation between Malaysia and UNHCR could undermine protection standards and refugee rights.

Malaysia estimates that reviewing the cases of nearly 220,000 refugees and asylum seekers currently registered with UNHCR could take until 2029.

Human rights advocates caution that delays in processing could leave thousands of refugees vulnerable to arrest, detention, or deportation while awaiting recognition under the new system.

Ongoing Immigration Enforcement

The rollout of the DPP comes amid intensified immigration enforcement measures.

Malaysia recently extended its Migrant Repatriation Programme through April 2027 while also increasing nationwide immigration operations. Human rights groups report that refugees, including individuals carrying UNHCR documentation, have been detained and in some cases returned to countries where they face persecution or abuse.

One refugee reported that immigration officers dismissed her UNHCR documentation and warned that she would be sent back to Myanmar. She was eventually deported in September 2025.

Calls for Legal Reform

While launching the DPP system, Malaysian authorities have repeatedly stressed that the program is not a pathway to permanent residency.

According to Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution, the eventual outcomes for refugees remain repatriation, third-country resettlement, or deportation.

Fortify Rights argues that registration alone is insufficient without broader legal reforms. The organization is calling on Malaysia to amend its immigration laws to recognize refugees and asylum seekers and to ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention.

“The DPP will only be meaningful if it genuinely protects refugees,” said Quinley. “No refugee or asylum seeker should face arrest, detention, or deportation simply because they are still waiting for their application to be processed.”

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