KUALA LUMPUR – The Home Ministry is closely collaborating with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to improve the well-being of refugees in the country, with the aim of addressing potential social challenges posed by this group.
In the Dewan Rakyat, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the cooperation, already underway, involves collecting comprehensive data on the total number of UNHCR cardholders in the nation.
This data, he explained, is intended to support the National Security Council (NSC) in formulating a comprehensive strategy for managing refugee-related issues.
The goal is to establish clear guidelines for managing refugees, preventing them from operating freely, which could result in social, economic, or safety concerns.
“So, our agreement with UNHCR involves facilitating refugees’ access to three fundamental aspects: health, education and employment,” Saifuddin said.
“Moving forward, the ministry is determined to (come up with) comprehensive solutions and management for refugees’ health, employment and education in an orderly manner. We (the ministry and UNHCR) will be coordinating on that.”
The minister also touched upon the amendment of Article 14(1)(b) of the federalconstitution, which currently grants only Malaysian fathers the right to confer citizenship upon their children born abroad.
He stated that the proposed amendment, set to be discussed in the Cabinet before being submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers, will extend this right to both fathers and mothers, allowing them to confer Malaysian citizenship upon their children born overseas. – November 1, 2023