Malaysia: Government urged to ratify refugee convention

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), the Malaysian Bar Council and local human rights groups have urged the Malaysian Government to sign the 1951 Refugee Convention before registering asylum-seekers and refugees in the country.

Suhakam commissioner James Nayagam said such a move would put Malaysia on a positive platform in the international scene.

He said the new registration exercise would lower the number of refugee and asylum-seeker arrests as law enforcers could verify their identities quickly.

“It will also help reduce cases of immigrants who enter the country to work but produce fake United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees documents when caught,” he told the Star Online.

He hoped the registration process would be “access-friendly” for refugees and asylum-seekers and urged the Government to provide them with one-stop centres.

President of Bar Council, Lim Chee Wee, said the registration exercise was a step in the right direction but more needed to be done.

“We need to enact laws to promote and protect internationally-recognised rights of asylum-seekers and their rights to livelihood, healthcare and education,” he said.

Lim said amendments to laws, such as the Immigration Act, were necessary to recognise the legal status of asylum-seekers.

Amnesty International-Malaysia also said the government should ratify the convention.

Date: 7 November 2011