Malaysia small country but never sent refugees back, says Saifuddin

Foreign Affairs Minister Saifuddin Abdullah made a sarcastic remark today on the United States' decision to cut the number of refugees that the country would admit.

Speaking to reporters after he accompanied United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet in a visit to a school for children of Rohingya refugees this morning, Saifuddin said Malaysia had never done such thing, despite being a small country.

"We are a small country, and we have never sent people back," he said at Rohingya Intellectual Skills and Excellence Centre in Taman Kajang Utama, Selangor.

Saifuddin was responding to a journalist's request for his response to the recent decision by Donald Trump's administration to put a cap of below 20,000 refugees that the US would admit over the next few months.

It is believed that Saifuddin was referring to the fact that Malaysia, so far, had never put a cap on the number of refugees it allowed to come in.

However, Malaysia has previously sent certain refugees back to their home countries, including Turkish teacher Arif Komis and his family, in August this year. Arif was an asylum seeker registered with the UN.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had told reporters then that Arif was sent back to his home country on police advice.

In terms of size, the US has a total of 50 states with a total area of about 9.6 million square kilometres (and a population of 327 million), compared with Malaysia's 13 states and three federal territories with a total area of about 330,000 square kilometres (population 31 million).

Meanwhile, on Bachelet's (photo) visit, Saifuddin said it was the first time that Malaysia had received a visit from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Saifuddin said he had made an open invitation for UN rapporteurs and high commissioners to visit the country as the new administration has nothing to hide.

Malaysia has nothing to hide

"Prior to this, the government did not have open invitations. There were also times when UN high commissioners or rapporteurs' request to conduct a visit to Malaysia were turned down.

"But under the current administration, we say that we have nothing to hide, and we are willing to improve if there are weaknesses.

"We are being open in this matter," Saifuddin said.

The minister added that Malaysia is transparent, and the high commissioners and UN rapporteurs who come to the country are free to write their report and make suggestions.

"Even though we have our way of looking at things, but we want to improve things."

The school visit, where Bachelet and Saifuddin met with NGO Islamic Relief that runs the school, its teachers and students, was the first programme for Bachelet since she arrived in Kuala Lumpur last night.

According to Saifuddin, the high commissioner would be meeting with several other ministers today, including de facto Islamic Affairs Minister Mujahid Yusof Rawa, de facto National Unity Minister P Waythamoorthy, before meeting Mahathir later in the evening.

Bachelet is also scheduled to have meetings with civil society groups and community leaders during her visit. - Mkini