Prove it, activist tells immigration chief over UN card claim

 

Activists have called for proof that Rohingya asylum seekers paid their way into the country to obtain UNHCR cards. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: A refugee rights activist has questioned a claim by the immigration department that some Rohingya had paid to enter the country and obtain UN refugee cards immediately.

The activist, Mahi Ramakrishnan, described the claim as “preposterous” and said the director-general of immigration, Khairul Dzaimee Daud, must back up his claim with concrete proof.

She said that in all her 17 years of working with the Rohingya, she had never come across such a case.

Khairul’s claim painted refugees and asylum seekers as a security threat and came off as an attempt by the authorities to vilify the UN agency, said Mahi, who is with Beyond Borders Malaysia.

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The National Security Council (MKN) had earlier this month accused the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR of issuing refugee identification cards without referring to Malaysian authorities.

Another activist, Adrian Pereira of North-South Initiative, said the director-general’s claim must be investigated as there was no evidence so far of irregularities within the UNHCR system.

Khairul had claimed that Rohingya UNHCR cardholders admitted to obtaining the document with the help of agents, but denied buying the cards. He said a committee will be set up to look into the matter. - FMT