Myanmar has agreed to take back 5,000 Rohingya refugees from Malaysia and 300,000 currently sheltered in Bangladesh.
According to a report by the Malaysian news outlet The Star, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed this significant international development during two separate events.
Speaking at a campaign rally ahead of the upcoming regional elections in Negeri Sembilan state, Anwar Ibrahim noted that constructive bilateral discussions were possible due to Malaysia’s good relations with Myanmar. He shared that as part of the broader repatriation initiative, the Myanmar authorities have also agreed to repatriate 300,000 Rohingya refugees currently residing in Bangladesh.
Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail told reporters that his ministry has been tasked with identifying and verifying the credentials of the refugees residing in Malaysia. Once this preliminary process is completed, Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs will finalize the arrangements with Myanmar to repatriate the 5,000 Rohingya individuals.
Emphasizing the importance of diplomatic engagement with Naypyidaw, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim reiterated:
“That is why maintaining good relations with Myanmar is extremely important.”
