COMMENT | Blanket crackdown on migrants and refugees is not border security

COMMENT | The CSO Platform for Reform expresses deep concern over the call by Perikatan Nasional MP Radzi Jidin for a nationwide crackdown on undocumented migrants and refugees, including the proposed deployment of military personnel to assist in arresting and deporting them.

While Malaysia has every right to protect its borders, enforce immigration laws and combat human trafficking, these objectives must not come at the expense of human dignity or the lives of people fleeing persecution. It is wrong to lump refugees and undocumented migrants together as though they are one and the same.

Refugees have fled war, persecution and human rights abuses, and returning them to their countries of origin without assessing their protection needs could expose them to torture, imprisonment or even death. A blanket enforcement approach risks placing thousands of vulnerable people, including women and children, in grave danger.

Refugees must not be treated as a security threat simply because they lack formal immigration documentation. Their circumstances and protection needs must be carefully distinguished from cases involving human trafficking, people smuggling, immigration fraud and other criminal activities.

Enforcement must be targeted, evidence-based and proportionate, with appropriate safeguards to prevent people fleeing persecution from being returned to danger.

At the same time, undocumented migration must be addressed through proper documentation, effective tracking and accountable enforcement. Some migrants may have entered Malaysia with valid documents but subsequently lost them or fallen out of valid status.

Their circumstances must be properly verified, and relevant agencies must be held accountable for failures in documentation and administration.

Therefore, it is essential for Malaysia to adopt an immigration approach that is firm, fair and humane. Enforcement must distinguish between refugees and other migrants, assess individual circumstances and uphold human dignity.

Border security and effective immigration management must not become excuses for indiscriminate arrests, deportations or the neglect of vulnerable people.

Strengthen capacity and accountability

We are also concerned by the suggestion that the armed forces should be mobilised to address this issue. The armed forces has a vital national responsibility to defend Malaysia's sovereignty, secure its borders against external threats and protect the nation.

READ MORE: Get tough on undocumented migrants, refugees, consider deploying military - PN MP

They must be adequately resourced, equipped and supported to fulfil these core defence responsibilities. Border protection requires sustained investment in defence capabilities, surveillance, intelligence, maritime security and coordinated border management.

Immigration enforcement and refugee management require specialised personnel, clear legal procedures and appropriate humanitarian safeguards.

These responsibilities should not be reduced to mass arrests and deportations, nor should military deployment be presented as a substitute for effective immigration administration, action against trafficking syndicates, or efforts to address corruption and weaknesses in border enforcement.

If the government is serious about addressing irregular migration, it should strengthen the capacity and accountability of the relevant civilian agencies, investigate those involved in human trafficking and corruption, and hold exploitative employers and syndicates accountable.

It should also establish a transparent and credible mechanism to identify refugees and asylum seekers and assess their protection needs before any decision on removal or deportation is made.

Reject blanket measures

Malaysia's challenges in managing refugees and irregular migration are real and require practical, sustainable solutions. However, public frustration must not be exploited to justify policies that place vulnerable populations at risk.

A responsible government must be capable of protecting national interests while upholding basic human dignity.

We therefore urge the government and political leaders to reject blanket measures against refugees, ensure that no individual is returned to a country where they face a real risk of persecution or serious harm, and prioritise effective civilian-led immigration management alongside properly resourced national defence.

National security and humanitarian protection are not mutually exclusive. Malaysia can defend its borders, enforce its laws and protect its people without abandoning those who have fled persecution and are seeking safety.

The measure of a nation's strength lies not only in its ability to secure its borders, but also in its capacity to exercise power responsibly and protect human life.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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