Refugees should not be detained indefinitely

SHAH ALAM - Refugees that are being held in detention centres should not be detained indefinitely as it is against the International Human Rights Law.

Malaysian Advisory Group on Myanmar chairman Tan Sri Dr Syed Hamid Albar said they should be given the same human rights as everyone else.

"If you ask the question on what we can do, we must let them feel that they too have the rights.

"Surely refugees do not lose their legal rights whether it is under International Convention or in our own country.

"This is a general application, an international norm.” he said on Sinar Daily’s talk show Wacana English Edition, titled ‘Detained: The Refugee Dilemma’, today.

He also urged the government to define the official status of the refugees as Malaysia does not formally recognise their position.

Syed Hamid added that while the country should be proud of opening up the door for refugees, the issue must be discussed as it lacked definition.

"Due to this, enforcement agencies have a lot of liberty to interpret because they are illegal immigrants and under our law, everyone without documents are considered as illegals.”