By Ashraff.Hussni
Malaysia did not create the Rohingya crisis. The roots of this issue lie in decades of conflict, persecution, and statelessness in Myanmar. Yet today, Malaysia increasingly bears the social, economic and administrative burden of a crisis that originated beyond its borders.
This is why Malaysia must stop treating the issue as a temporary problem with no long-term strategy. Regardless of what UNHCR, NGOs or other countries do, Malaysia needs its own comprehensive policy that protects national interests while maintaining humanitarian principles.
Malaysia has a system to manage refugees while they are here, but Malaysia does not yet have a comprehensive national strategy to reduce long-term dependency and systematically prepare for departure, repatriation or burden-sharing. While under temporary protection, refugees should be encouraged to participate in the formal economy through regulated work arrangements that enable them to contribute to Malaysia’s growth before relocating to a third country or being resettled elsewhere.
Refugees should be permitted to work within a regulated, closely monitored employment framework by establishing designated work programmes and supervised economic zones where refugees are employed based on basic skills in sectors facing labour shortages, subject to registration, monitoring and periodic review. A Return Savings Account could also be introduced, requiring a percentage of earnings to be placed into a protected fund that is only released upon legal relocation to a receiving country or third-country resettlement.
To address public concerns regarding contribution, Malaysia could establish a National Service Contribution Programme requiring working-age refugees to contribute a minimum number of hours annually towards flood mitigation projects, river clean-ups, agricultural support programmes and public facility maintenance. Protection must come with responsibility.
Beyond regulatory reforms, financing mechanisms must also evolve to ensure that the burden of refugee management is not borne solely by Malaysian taxpayers. A Resettlement Escrow Mechanism could be introduced requiring international organisations, donor countries and its relevant agencies to contribute financially towards the costs of managing refugees in Malaysia. If refugees remain in the country for extended periods without meaningful progress towards repatriation or third-country resettlement, the international community should assume a greater share of the financial responsibility rather than leaving Malaysia to shoulder the costs alone.
Equally important is the introduction of a Repatriation Performance Index (RPI) to systematically assess, manage and to strengthen oversight while improve data accuracy and support long-term planning. Under this framework, every refugee household would be subject to regular verification processes covering identity records, family composition, place of residence, births, deaths and movements within the country. Greater emphasis should also be placed on family registration, birth reporting and access to family planning services to ensure population growth remains manageable and does not place additional strain on public resources.
At the regional level, Malaysia can champion an ASEAN Return Fund to support the repatriation and reintegration of displaced Rohingya communities. ASEAN member states should contribute based on their economic capacity, ensuring that the financial burden of the crisis is shared across the region rather than borne primarily by host countries such as Malaysia.
At the same time, ASEAN should utilise its diplomatic platforms and collective influence to exert greater pressure on Myanmar to address the root causes of the crisis, create conditions conducive to safe and voluntary return, and fulfil its responsibilities towards displaced Rohingya populations. If ASEAN genuinely views the Rohingya issue as a regional challenge, it must also be prepared to share both the financial and political responsibility for resolving it.
Malaysia does not need to choose between humanity and national interest. Both can be achieved simultaneously. A sustainable policy should be built on four principles: temporary protection, economic contribution, accountability and eventual return. Malaysia can remain compassionate, but it should never become the final destination for a crisis it did not create.
Throughout his career, Ashraff has led and supported initiatives involving technology investment organisations, policymakers and global stakeholders, including engagements linked to the World Economic Forum (WEF) ecosystem and the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network (C4IR). He has also worked within the diplomatic and government relations space through engagements associated with the Trade Mission of the Russian Federation in Malaysia,
