Malaysia will expedite the second phase of repatriating Myanmar detainees once identification and documentation processes with the Myanmar government are completed, the Home Ministry said.
According to Astro Awani, the Home Ministry Deputy Secretary-General (Policy and Control) Datuk Makhzan Mahyuddin said the timing of the next phase would depend on how quickly the authorities could verify the individuals and prepare the necessary documents.
Some detainees may not have identification documents, requiring the Immigration Department to work with the Myanmar Embassy to verify their identities.
“Currently, the Immigration Department of Malaysia will work together with the Myanmar Embassy to verify these individuals,” he told reporters aboard KD Sri Indera Sakti at the Royal Malaysian Navy base in Lumut on Tuesday.
The documentation process is also required to allow the detainees to leave Malaysia and be accepted back by the Myanmar government.
“If this process can be carried out quickly, we will be able to carry out the repatriation quickly.
“But if the process takes some time, the repatriation will be slightly delayed,” Makhzan said.
He stressed that Malaysia and Myanmar remained committed to repatriating a total of 5,000 Myanmar nationals in stages.
“The timeframe for implementation will be expedited as much as possible based on the process of documenting and identifying these individuals,” he said.
The Foreign Ministry will continue coordinating with Myanmar on the next phase, while the date and number of individuals to be repatriated will be determined based on the verification process, operational readiness and coordination between both governments.
The Immigration Department will also continue preparations for the next phase once the outstanding matters have been finalised.
On Tuesday, 1,476 Myanmar nationals were repatriated under Ops Pier 1.0, marking the first group of the 5,000 individuals agreed to be sent home in stages.
The individuals in the first phase had been identified by the Myanmar government, which submitted their names to Malaysia through a diplomatic note dated Aug 13.
