tags - Sinar Daily

Malaysia's approach to refugees has always been unusual. Under Malaysian law, refugees are not officially recognised. There is no legal distinction between a refugee fleeing persecution and an undocumented migrant entering the country without proper documents.

Arakan Prince, who spent more than three decades in the country and is now resettled in the United States (US), said Malaysia was the only home he knew for most of his life after his family fled persecution in Myanmar. Screenshots from Arakan Prince's Instagram profile

FOR 30 years, the man known online as Arakan Prince lived in Malaysia as a Rohingya refugee, without a country to call his own. Born to a family that fled persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, he grew up in Malaysia - a country that offered safety but little legal recognition or a pathway to citizenship. Photo for illustrative purposes only.

A former Rohingya refugee turned activist has faced criticism from Malaysian social media users after remarks made during an awards speech in Australia, in which she highlighted Malaysia’s treatment of Rohingya children, went viral online. Screenshots from Noor Azizah's Instagram video

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Activist said Rohingya refugees are already living under difficult conditions and are now facing additional psychological pressure from campaigns that portray them negatively.

Rohingya human rights activist Yasmin Ullah has dismissed circulating claims that Rohingya refugees in Malaysia are demanding land and special rights, describing the narrative as false and deliberately constructed to spread misinformation and scapegoat vulnerable communities. - Photo: Instagram

Members of Iran's women's football team walk with their luggage as they arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport after taking part in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 tournament in Australia, in Sepang on March 11, 2026. At least five players from Iran's visiting women's football team claimed asylum in Australia on on March 10, seeking protection after they were branded "traitors" at home for refusing to sing the national anthem. (Photo by ARIF KARTONO / AFP)

US President Donald Trump (R) greets Trinidadian rapper and singer-songwriter Nicki Minaj during an event on 'Trump Accounts' at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC. Photo by Brendan Smialowski/AFP

This picture shows a supporter's t-shirt bearing an image of Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak hushing, during his 1MDB trial at the Palace of Justice, which houses the Malaysian Court of Appeal and Federal Court, in Putrajaya on Dec 26. Photo by Mohd Rasfan/AFP FILE PIX