Malaysia, UNHCR forms joint task force on migration issue

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will form a joint task force with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to tackle the complex issue of refugee migration, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said through the task force, the government will work closely with UNHCR in the registration and issuance of new refugee cards with a high level of security.
"Although the issuance of new cards have started since June, the replacement of old or existing UNHCR refugee cards would take some time as the issuance of new cards need to go through several steps of tight screening.
"The tight screening is to ensure the problem of fake UNHCR refugees cards issued by syndicates can be tackled properly," Ahmad Zahid said in a statement after chairing a meeting on UNHCR issues.
Ahmad Zahid said the task force would comprise of senior officers from the Home Ministry, National Security Council, Foreign Affairs Ministry and UNHCR.
He said although Malaysia is cooperating with UNHCR to issue the cards, it is still UNHCR's responsibility to determine the refugee's status based on the UN Convention for Refugees 1951 and Protocol 1967.
It was previously reported that the authorities found that syndicates have been issuing fake UNHCR cards, which is one of the factors for the influx of foreign immigrants including those not recognised as refugees, into Malaysia.
The fake UNCHR card-issuing syndicates were detected since a few years ago when the authorities arrested several foreign immigrants who were found to be carrying fake cards.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said that Malaysia and UNHCR have a working relationship of at least 41 years dating back to 1975 when UNHCR established its first office here after the country received a large number of asylum seekers from Vietnam.
"UNHCR's main role in Malaysia is to process refugee applications by asylum seekers. They are also responsible for facilitating the relocation of these refugees,"he said.