Although from the poi of view of many people who are naive and unaware of efficie immigration information, asylum is also one of the Methods of immigration to Malaysia is However, this path has dangerous and irreparable consequences; It is better to consider it as a way to lower the standard of living rather than a way to improve the quality of life, in this article we will discuss why this is the case. And we examine why asylum is the last option for immigration. However, there are better routes such as educational immigration to Malaysia, work immigration, immigration with company registration, etc., which are much more beneficial and less risky for immigration.
Immigrate to Malaysia through asylum
In rece decades, Malaysia has received a large number of migra workers and refugees. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2018, approximately 154,000 asylum seekers and refugees, 4.5 million workers and 13,000 others migrated to Malaysia without obtaining residency. Of course, this number certainly does not end with this number.
With such a large number of refugees in Malaysia, there is no national refugee or policy framework associated with this coury. In Malaysia, any illegal ery or asylum stay is punishable and considered a crime. The Malaysian governme does not distinguish between workers and refugees. Even if they have registered and obtained their asylum through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The Malaysian governme is one of the couries that has not signed the treaties related to respecting the rights of asylum seekers. It is also very difficult to track the status of detained asylum seekers in this coury. According to the reports obtained from the refugee camps in Malaysia, the refugees are living in a very difficult situation. In such a way that more than 22 people live in a small room, without sanitary facilities and even drinking water, etc. Most of the refugees are from the poor of East Asia.
“Asylum” laws in Malaysia 2021
As we said above. In Malaysia, there is no iernal or administrative law for refugees and their rights. As of September 2014, the number of refugees registered with UNHCR has reached more than 15,000. In addition to being constaly at risk of arrest and deteion, these asylum seekers; They do not have access to safe and legal employme and basic rights such as legal status, formal education and legal protection.
Suspects of unauthorized ery io Malaysia will be subject to deteion based on Malaysian law. Those arrested will be transferred to Malaysian prisons. This deteion usually lasts between 16 mohs and 5 years. And it is constaly reviewed by freque judicial reviews. The Malaysian Immigration Authority operates under the Immigration Laws. According to this law, the punishme of people without permission to eer Malaysia will be confideial and strict. This punishme even includes registered refugees.
For an illegal immigra, there will always be fear and insecurity, especially the fear of being arrested. Especially for refugees who are not registered in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, this issue will be effective at all ages. It is even possible for children to be arrested on the way to school. After the arrest, these children will be separated from their families and will be in the deteion ceer with other adults.
However, Malaysia iends to enact laws to improve the conditions of asylum seekers. But uil this year, 2021, the situation has been difficult for refugees.
Asylum laws in Malaysia update 2024
As of 2024, Malaysia does not have a formal legal framework to protect asylum seekers and refugees. Malaysia has not signed the 1951 Refugee Conveion or its 1967 Protocol. This means that it does not confirm any obligation to support refugees.
However, Malaysia has hosted a significa number of refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from couries such as Myanmar, Syria and Afghanistan. To start the asylum process in this coury in 2024, asylum seekers must register with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. so that they can get a part of protection, insurance and access to basic services of every citizen.
Key pois to know about Malaysia’s 2024 asylum laws include:
- Legal Status: Asylum seekers in Malaysia often face legal challenges as they may be considered illegal immigras. This can lead to arrest and deportation.
- UNHCR Registration: Registering with UNHCR is very importa for refugees, as it provides some legal ideification code and access to some limited rights and services.
- Basic governme services: Refugees and asylum seekers may have difficulty accessing health care, education, and employme because of their legal status.
- Deteion and deportation: According to statistics, there have been reports of deteion attacks targeting illegal immigras, including asylum seekers.
- Lack of a formal asylum process: Without a formal asylum process, people often face uncertaiy about their status and future in Malaysia.
Conditions of camps and deteion ceers in Malaysia
The conditions of deteion ceers in Malaysia for asylum seekers are very bad. The lack of conditions such as space and people hygiene, and sufficie and nutritious food and access to medical services has caused the occurrence of many serious diseases among the refugees. Several blocks have been converted io deteion ceers by the Malaysian Financial Affairs Departme, which are very inefficie and unsafe. are
Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) considers the conditions of these ceers to be inhumane. Because in 2014 and 2016, 161 refugees were found to be struggling with deadly diseases. Unfortunately, Malaysia was not one of the signatories of the UN Refugee Conveion in 1951, and according to iernational laws, it does not have a special law for accepting asylum, jobs and education for refugees. Although Malaysia is one of the committed couries and signatories of the United Nations Conveion on the Rights of the Child (CRC), this coury is considered one of the supporters of children.
For this reason, in many rece projects, the atteion of this coury has been focused on creating conditions to improve the situation of refugees, especially children. There is also the United Nations.
Limitations (problems) and problems of asylum in Malaysia
There is a lot of talk about changing conditions to improve the situation of asylum seekers in Malaysia. and emphasizes on improving the legal status of asylum seekers. However, refugees currely do not even have legal access to public schools. They cannot even benefit from private schools. As a result, they are forced to study in NGO-supported schools, which do not have enough resources and space. Despite such conditions, many children are forced to work in space and factories. And in difficult conditions, they work instead of studying.
In addition to asylum seekers, refugees are also denied the right to work. Anyone who works illegally in Malaysia, especially from this group, will be se to the dreaded camps of the Immigration Departme. These conditions have caused the exploitation of refugees seeking work by employers. And they work many times more than refugees by paying a teh of the legal salary of a worker. Similarly, children of refugees will be deprived of education in schools.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is the only authority that has the ability to try for officially detained refugees. But due to corruption in the iernal system of this organization, it lost this image. And he could not even take action for the education of refugees in Malaysia.
The dangers of asylum in Malaysia
In general and in summary, the problems of asylum and refugees in Malaysia can be named as follows:
- High risk of arrest and imprisonme
- Applying other criminal punishmes (including caning) and corporal punishme and deportation from Malaysia
- Lack of support from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
- Even if the refugee is registered and approved, there is no guaraee of their support
- Lack of access to health care
- Not having a work permit and a lot of misbehavior from employers and even the community in case of employme
- Lack of support from the law and the governme and any other body
- Not being allowed to study and not even having the right to a normal life
Asylum to Malaysia and better alternative routes
Although, in the article preseed to you, various refugee issues in Malaysia were discussed. This path is not recommended by any reputable institution or lawyer. This path has many disadvaages and limitations that have put many people in very dire conditions. For some people, maybe seeking refuge in another coury is the last way to save their lives. For example, people who are threatened and harassed psychologically, physically, financially, etc. in differe ways in their coury.
But we know that in general, the first ieion of all people to migrate is to start a better life in every way and to get more peace and prosperity.
But we checked with the conditions of the said route, which is to seek asylum in Malaysia. Not only will your quality of life not improve. Rather, the quality level and other aspects of your life will undergo regressions, sometimes irreversible and compensatory. Therefore, if you are applying to immigrate to another coury, including Malaysia. It is better to research and study more, according to your curre conditions and take advaage of the advice of experienced lawyers, to investigate more legal and constructive ways to immigrate to Malaysia. Paths such as immigration to Malaysia through work, immigration to Malaysia through education, immigration to Malaysia through investme, etc.
The review of all these routes has been written in the form of a comprehensive article on this site. You can make your meal image of immigration more clear by referring and studying them.
Final speech of Migraha magazine
Despite the fact that Malaysia is among the obvious destinations for workers and refugees, millions of migras and workers have been registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since 2018. However, there are no laws and regulations to deal with the conditions of these people in Malaysia. Any illegal stay in Malaysia is punishable. And this stratum will be compared to each other on the same level regardless of the social class, and from the poi of view of the society, these people will be placed at a very low level of the society.
It is better to use the routes that are suitable for you and your loved ones for migration, and by following other migration routes at the cost of endangering your life and your loved ones; Do not agree to any immigration from your coury.
