UNHCR has failed to resettle refugees in third countries : Malaysian FM Hasan

Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan criticizes UNHCR over stalled third-country refugee resettlement, ruling out returning Rohingya to volatile Rakhine State

Desk Report

Oct 27, 2026, 06:23 AM2 min read

UNHCR has failed to resettle refugees in third countries : Malaysian FM Hasan

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan on a breifing / Collected

Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan has criticized the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) over its limited resettlement of refugees to third countries, saying the agency had relocated only about 5,000 refugees over the past two to three years despite repeated requests from Kuala Lumpur.

Most Rohingya refugees in Malaysia hold UNHCR cards, but efforts to find them places in other countries have made little progress, Mohamad told the Dewan Rakyat, Malaysia’s lower house of parliament.

“We asked UNHCR to send them to third countries, but UNHCR has failed to do so,” he said, adding that the government was reviewing the agency’s presence in Malaysia.

According to the New Straits Times, Mohamad said UNHCR should play a more active role in resettling refugees abroad, similar to its involvement during the Vietnamese refugee crisis in the 1970s. He argued that the current situation had changed, with traditional refugee-hosting countries, including Australia, the United States and Germany, tightening their immigration policies.

Mohamad also ruled out sending Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar, saying the situation in Rakhine State made repatriation unsafe. He said the Arakan Army now controlled the area and accused the group of carrying out violence against Rohingya that was even more brutal than before.

“Sending the Rohingya back means we are sending them back to be slaughtered,” he said, making clear that he would not support such a move.

The remarks highlight the growing challenge facing Malaysia and other countries hosting Rohingya refugees, as opportunities for resettlement remain limited and conditions in their homeland continue to prevent safe return.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled Myanmar following military-led violence in 2017, with many seeking refuge in Bangladesh and other countries in the region. In the absence of safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation, refugees remain dependent on host countries and international humanitarian support while longer-term solutions remain elusive.

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