“Malaysia Criticized for Detaining 4,719 Rohingyas in Immigration Centres”

Malaysia’s government is under fire after revealing it currently detains nearly 18,000 immigrants, including 4,719 Rohingya refugees, in immigration centres across the country.

According to Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, a total of 17,896 people are held in 20 detention facilities as of July 6, 2025. Among them, 7,453 are from Myanmar, with the majority being Rohingyas fleeing persecution and genocide.

Shockingly, the minister confirmed that none of the detainees are UNHCR cardholders, leaving them vulnerable and without international protection.

This revelation has sparked outrage among rights defenders, who accuse Malaysia of systematically discriminating against Rohingyas despite their internationally recognized status as genocide victims.

 “The Malaysian government is criminalizing the very people who fled massacres in Myanmar. Detaining 4,719 Rohingyas instead of protecting them is a gross violation of human rights,” said one human rights activist.

Malaysia has long portrayed itself as a safe haven for refugees, but in reality, Rohingyas face relentless discrimination, arrests, and indefinite detention. Human rights organizations warn that these conditions amount to double victimization — first persecuted in Myanmar, then detained in Malaysia.

The government’s figures also show that 78% of detainees are men (13,992) and 22% are women (3,974). Children are also among those detained in so-called “child detention centres.”

Critics argue that Malaysia’s policies violate international humanitarian norms and urge the government to immediately release Rohingya refugees from detention, grant them legal protection, and respect their rights as genocide survivors.