Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has ordered police, the immigration department, and all relevant agencies to take strict action after more than 100 Rohingya refugees gathered in front of the United Nations refugee agency’s office in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.
Anwar announced in a social media post, saying the situation must be managed firmly while maintaining public order.
More than 100 Rohingya refugees, including families and children, gathered outside the UNHCR office on Jalan Bukit Petaling in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. Police and Armed Forces personnel were present at the scene to monitor the situation, which remained under control.
According to reports, the group has been evicted by residents in Kampung Kuala Muda, Penaga, Penang, after being given one month to leave their homes. With nowhere else to go, they made their way out to the UNHCR office, hoping to seek assistance.
Anwar said Malaysia is a sovereign country and every individual on its soil is obliged to follow its laws. He warned that anyone found without valid travel documents or legal permits will be detained at an immigration Depot while further legal processes are conducted.
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“Any individual found not to have valid travel documents or permits will be subject to action in accordance with the law, including being placed at the Immigration Depot while further processes are carried out,” he said.
The refugees outside the UNHCR office were later relocated to the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters, and more than 100 Rohingya were reported to have been detained.
Malaysia is home to the largest Rohingya refugee population in Southeast Asia, around 110,000 registered with UNHCR, with thousands more living undocumented.
The Rohingya situation in Malaysia has always been complicated. While many Malaysians feel a sense of solidarity with Rohingya as fellow Muslims, there is also growing frustration over their presence, particularly around issues of crime, economic pressure, and irregular immigration.
For the refugees gathered outside the UNHCR office, Monday’s scene reflected a crisis with no easy answers, people with nowhere to go, caught between a country that cannot take them back and a country that has no legal framework to take them in.
