Malaysia’s northwestern economic powerhouse
Humanitarian aid for Rohingya refugees has fallen as their numbers have grown and living conditions have worsened in Bangladesh camps and in host countries. Malaysia has announced screening and a plan to repatriate up to 5,000 Myanmar nationals, prompting fear, detentions and evictions; rights groups and the UN have warned returns could put refugees at risk.
Myanmar’s president Min Aung Hlaing has visited Malaysia for two days while Kuala Lumpur is proceeding with a programme to repatriate up to 5,000 Myanmar nationals. Malaysia says roughly 10,000 people have returned this year and that repatriations are voluntary; the UN and rights groups have warned they cannot verify voluntariness and say returnees, including possible Rohingya, face grave risks in a country at war.