Malaysia Begins Voluntary Repatriation of Myanmar Nationals Despite UN Safety Warnings

MANJUNG, Malaysia — Malaysian authorities have begun repatriating Myanmar nationals under a voluntary program, even as the United Nations refugee agency and human rights groups warn that parts of Myanmar remain unsafe.

First Group Departs Amid Tight Security

The first contingent of 1,476 people departed on Tuesday as part of a staged plan to return about 5,000 Myanmar nationals from Malaysia. The Home Ministry reported that 10,388 Myanmar nationals were held in immigration detention depots nationwide as of Aug. 15.

A ship waits to carry Myanmar nationals in Manjung, Perak state of Malaysia, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)(AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Buses believed to be carrying the returnees arrived at a stadium in Manjung town, Perak state, under tight security, while ships thought to be from Myanmar were reported docked at the nearby Lumut naval base.

Repatriation Arrangements and Official Statements

The Home Ministry said the first group agreed to return voluntarily and that transfers will be conducted using two Myanmar navy warships and a hospital ship. Authorities did not immediately provide details about the identities or the specific circumstances of the people being returned.

Myanmar nationals look out from a bus in Manjung, Perak state of Malaysia, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)(AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Myanmar has faced ongoing armed conflict and political instability since the military seized power in 2021. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and several human rights organisations have urged caution, saying security and humanitarian conditions in parts of Myanmar remain volatile and that some returnees could face serious risks.

Refugee Context

Malaysia hosts roughly 215,600 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR, including about 126,000 Rohingya Muslims—one of Southeast Asia's largest refugee communities. Malaysia is not a party to the U.N. Refugee Convention and generally treats refugees as undocumented migrants under its domestic immigration framework.

One of Myanmar nationals looks out from a bus in Manjung, Perak state of Malaysia, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)(AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

The Rohingya have endured decades of discrimination and persecution in Myanmar, where many were denied citizenship and recognition as an ethnic group. In Malaysia they have also faced rising public hostility, driven by concerns over employment, public services and security, amplified by misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric on social media.

Diplomacy and Responses

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim defended the repatriation as a diplomatic effort to find a long-term solution, saying Malaysia cannot host refugees indefinitely and that Myanmar must accept responsibility for its citizens. He said he plans to invite Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing to Malaysia to discuss the issue.

Myanmar nationals look out from a bus in Manjung, Perak state of Malaysia, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)(AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

"I am inviting him to say that we can be friends and trade, we can accept Myanmar, but Myanmar must accept them back," Anwar said in a podcast posted online Sept. 16. "To me, that's better diplomacy than just shouting angrily at Myanmar."

Myanmar Foreign Ministry official Han Win Aung said the operation follows repatriations in 2021 and 2022, when Myanmar received more than 1,100 nationals from Malaysia. He added the current operation involves genuine Myanmar citizens and, he said, is not intended to include Rohingya people.

Humanitarian groups and UN agencies stress the importance of independent monitoring and safeguards to ensure that returns are truly voluntary and that returnees are not exposed to harm. The situation will likely remain a focal point for international concern as transfers continue in stages.