Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on October 4 that around 10,000 people have been sent back to Myanmar since January, despite safety warnings from human rights groups and the UN refugee agency.
Speaking in parliament, Anwar said some of those deported were flown home on aircraft arranged by Myanmar's government, while nearly 1,500 were repatriated by sea last week under a bilateral agreement.
Anwar acknowledged concerns raised by human rights groups and lawmakers about the safety risks deportees face, particularly Muslim Rohingya, but insisted Myanmar's authorities had given assurances that they would not be harmed on their return.
"The condition we set for Myanmar is that they must take their citizens back," Anwar said. "Second, they must treat the people fairly so that there is no abuse, coercion or human rights violation."
According to the Malaysian prime minister, he will continue discussing the issue with Myanmar's President Min Aung Hlaing, who is expected to visit Kuala Lumpur "in the coming days." The visit is part of diplomatic efforts aimed at seeking legitimacy for the Myanmar leader, who led the 2021 coup that plunged Myanmar into civil war and the 2017 military crackdown that drove hundreds of thousands of Rohingya from the country.
Malaysia maintains that all those deported agreed to go home, but human rights monitors fear Myanmar refugees have little choice in the matter.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said last week that its staff were not allowed to meet the Myanmar nationals to confirm whether their decision to return was "truly voluntary and fully informed."
The deportations come as Malaysian immigration authorities step up raids on refugee communities, leading to the detention of more than 50,000 refugees in 2026. Rohingya make up the majority of Myanmar refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia, but it remains unclear how many members of the persecuted group are among those deported.
According to UN data, Malaysia hosts about 193,000 refugees from Myanmar. Although it is not a party to the UN Refugee Convention and treats refugees as undocumented migrants, Malaysia is home to around 215,600 refugees and asylum seekers registered with UNHCR.
Myanmar has faced accusations of genocide against the Rohingya. Earlier this year, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) opened its first genocide hearings in more than a decade.
UNHCR and human rights groups warn that returnees could face persecution and forced conscription in an active war zone. Myanmar has been mired in civil war since the military seized power from an elected government in 2021. According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), the fighting has killed more than 100,000 people since the coup.
