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Malaysia
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Will Malaysia see a fresh influx of Rohingya refugees as life in Bangladesh, Myanmar gets worse?

  • More than 600 Rohingya refugees were arrested trying to reach Malaysia in the past seven months – 124 last month alone
  • Activists say desperate conditions in Myanmar and Bangladesh, which hosts more than 1 million refugees, are forcing more to risk the perilous sea voyage

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A boat carrying suspected Rohingya migrants pictured after being detained in Malaysian territorial waters in April 2020. Photo: Reuters
Hadi Azmi
Hundreds of Rohingya have been arrested en route to Malaysia in recent months, with more planning to brave the arduous sea journey as life becomes increasingly unbearable in Myanmar and the refugee camps of Bangladesh.
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Zafar Ahmad, a Rohingya activist based in Kuala Lumpur, said he had heard dozens of stories on WhatsApp of desperate people “willing to take the risk” – of arrest, deportation and possible death by drowning – so that they could escape the squalid conditions of the camps in Bangladesh, which are among the world’s largest.

“There are over a million Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar … it’s a small place, with over a million living there,” Zafar said, referring to the district in Bangladesh that houses the camps. “There are many reasons [to leave], not just one or two.”

Kutupalong refugee camp, in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar district. Photo: AP
Kutupalong refugee camp, in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar district. Photo: AP
The Rohingya, most of whom are Muslim, have long been persecuted in Myanmar. More than 700,000 fled to neighbouring Bangladesh in 2017 to escape a military crackdown and they have since attempted to leave both countries for Malaysia on voyages that are often arranged by gangs of people smugglers.

The Malaysian government’s heavy handed approach towards refugees has done little to dissuade them from attempting the perilous trip, with more than 600 Rohingya arrested trying to reach Malaysia over the past half-year, according to a Radio Free Asia report – an exodus that has been driven by a lack of jobs and food.

Data gathered from official statements issued by Myanmar’s ruling military junta, as well as local media reports, shows that 270 Rohingya were detained in December alone, followed by scores of others in the ensuing months. In May, 124 refugees were reportedly detained.

Bangladesh has become increasingly inhospitable to Rohingya in recent years. Human Rights Watch reported in April that restrictions on refugees’ livelihoods, education and movement within the camps had intensified, with authorities destroying thousands of Rohingya-run shops and banning community schools.

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