Syed Hamid calls on gov't to sign UN Refugee Convention

Former law minister and foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar has called for Malaysia to sign the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

However, in doing so, he acknowledged that the government would have to confront fears that signing the convention would open the floodgates for refugees to seize the jobs of Malaysians.

"I think ultimately we need to sign (the convention) because we had done so much good work.

"Our good track record of dealing with refugees needs to be formalised," he said in Parliament today.

"I think now we need to have a planned refugee policy. I don't see many speeches that touch on the refugee issue in our parliament," he said.

Syed Hamid, who served as an MP from 1990 to 2013, was speaking to reporters after giving a keynote speech during an MPs briefing in Parliament regarding the development of legal frameworks to cover refugees.

Among those in attendance were Hassan Abdul Karim, Maria Chin Abdullah and Fahmi Fadzil.

The convention, which is more commonly known as the 1951 Refugee Convention, defines the term ‘refugee’ and outlines the rights of the displaced, as well as the legal obligations of states to protect them.

The core principle is non-refoulement, which asserts that a refugee should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom. This is now considered a rule of customary international law.

Syed Hamid said he consistently recommended to the government during his time in cabinet that Malaysia sign this document.

"I wouldn't put a time period because I have been recommending it for a long time for us to sign and I thought this year that it was nearer," he said.   - Mkini