SHAH ALAM — The Selangor government is awaiting the Home Ministry’s registration of Myanmar refugees and stateless individuals under the Refugee Registration Document (DPP) before deciding on further measures to manage the community in the state.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the state government was currently compiling data on the community at the district level to be submitted to the Home Ministry, enabling follow-up action to be taken with relevant agencies and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
“They need to be registered first. This falls under the jurisdiction of the Home Ministry, and we are waiting for the registration process to be completed before we can make the necessary arrangements.
“The data is being compiled through the District Security Committees. Hulu Langat has already compiled its data, while the other districts will do so before we submit it to the Home Minister for further action together with UNHCR,” he said.
Amirudin was speaking to reporters after attending a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between Smartsel Sdn Bhd and PG Linkaranfibre Sdn Bhd here today.
On the issue of Myanmar refugees and other undocumented communities engaging in business activities in Selangor, Amirudin said the matter should also be addressed after the Home Ministry completes the registration process.
He said the state government had no authority to issue licences or permits to the community to carry out certain activities, as the matter fell under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government, particularly the Home Ministry.
However, he said humanitarian considerations must also be taken into account, including if there were proposals to repatriate them.
“As far as possible, we want to send them back, but repatriation requires the consent of their government. At the same time, humanitarian factors must be considered because if we send everyone away, they could end up living on the streets, creating other social problems. So, we need to strike a balance in dealing with this issue,” he said.
