Malaysia to repatriate first 1,500 Myanmar refugees on September 29

Malaysia will launch the first phase of a voluntary repatriation program on September 29, returning nearly 1,500 Myanmar nationals aboard naval vessels despite safety concerns from rights groups

Desk Report

Aug 30, 2026, 10:15 AM1 min read

Malaysia to repatriate first 1,500 Myanmar refugees on September 29

A vessel carrying Rohingya refugees is seen about 8 kilometres (5 miles) offshore in the Strait of Malacca between Indonesia and Malaysia ,June 2020 / Collected

Malaysia will begin the first phase of a voluntary repatriation programme on September 29, with at least 1,500 eligible Myanmar nationals set to return to the country, the Malaysian government said.

The Home Ministry said the repatriation will be carried out using two Myanmar naval vessels and a hospital ship. The move is part of an agreement under which up to 5,000 Myanmar nationals, including members of the Rohingya community, are expected to return voluntarily.

According to Al Jazeera, Malaysia has said it will not proceed with the repatriation if those returning face persecution or threats to their lives in Myanmar.

The Malaysian government said more than 4,000 people, mainly Rohingya, will also be processed under its Refugee Registration Document programme. As of mid-August, 10,388 Myanmar nationals were being held at immigration detention centres, though authorities said not all were refugees.

Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have raised concerns over the safety of returns, saying conditions for a safe and dignified repatriation do not currently exist in Myanmar.

Malaysia hosts more than 215,000 refugees and asylum seekers registered with UNHCR, including over 126,000 Rohingya.

BOB Post