Malaysia-Myanmar Rohingya refugee repatriation process

Malaysian PM: Myanmar Agrees to Take 5,000 Rohingya Refugees

Malaysia had 215,600 registered refugees and asylum seekers, with nearly 194,000 from Myanmar.

As of the end of February 2026, Malaysia had 215,600 registered refugees and asylum seekers, with nearly 194,000 of them from Myanmar, according to official data. The vast majority are Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority denied citizenship in Myanmar.

Against this backdrop, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that Myanmar had agreed to take 5,000 Rohingya asylum seekers from Malaysia. Rights groups have stressed that any movement of refugees into Myanmar must be voluntary and backed by guarantees of safety, legal status, and freedom of movement. Malaysia is not a signatory to the UN refugee convention and regards asylum seekers as illegal migrants, complicating the status of the refugee population.