Wisma Putra to hold talks with Myanmar on return of 5,000 Rohingya

PUTRAJAYA – The government, through Wisma Putra, will hold discussions with the Myanmar junta government on a proposal to send 5,000 Rohingya refugees back to the country.

Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said several matters must first be examined, particularly to ensure that the safety and welfare of the refugees are not compromised before any decision is made.

"This matter is being studied by Wisma Putra and the Home Ministry, under which the 5,000 Myanmar refugees will be identified.

"But certainly Malaysia, as a responsible country, will not send them home if these 5,000 Myanmar refugees would either be persecuted or their lives threatened.

"So there are several things we will look into first in the discussions with the junta government in Myanmar before we implement it," he said at the weekly post-Cabinet press conference here today. (Quotes translated from Malay.)

On July 29, media reported that Myanmar had agreed to take back 5,000 Rohingya refugees currently in Malaysia, following diplomatic negotiations and good relations between the two countries.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the development was an initial step in addressing the issue, while also ensuring that public order in Malaysia continues to be preserved.

He said the agreement was reached through Malaysia's good relations with Myanmar, proving that the refugee issue cannot be resolved merely by calls for them to be sent home.

Elaborating, Fahmi said the Myanmar junta government had earlier expressed its willingness to receive the 5,000 refugees, but the Malaysian government needed to examine the criteria set to ensure the repatriation was appropriate.

"As informed by the Prime Minister, the junta government in Myanmar is prepared to receive these 5,000 Myanmar refugees, but we will study what the criteria are and if it is suitable, we will implement it.

"But the Prime Minister takes note that we cannot send them if their lives are threatened. So there are several matters being examined, especially by Wisma Putra," he said.