Myanmar's Min Aung Hlaing Visits Malaysia Amid Repatriation Criticism

Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Malaysia on Wednesday for a two-day visit as Kuala Lumpur presses ahead with the repatriation of thousands of Myanmar nationals, despite criticism from the UN and rights groups over the safety of those being returned.

Min Aung Hlaing is expected to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and attend a business dialogue with members of his Cabinet. The visit comes days after Malaysia repatriated 1,476 Myanmar nationals in the first phase of a programme involving about 5,000 people who have agreed to return.

The latest group comprised 1,370 men, 79 women, 20 boys and seven girls, aged between eight and 60. Malaysia has said the repatriations will take place in stages. Anwar said on Tuesday that more than 10,000 Myanmar nationals had been repatriated since January through air and sea routes.

A further 3,524 people have been approved for the second phase, with Malaysia awaiting confirmation from Myanmar on the timing of their return.

The policy has drawn scrutiny over the possible return of Rohingya, the predominantly Muslim minority that has faced persecution and been denied citizenship in Myanmar. Anwar said no Rohingya had yet been repatriated under the current arrangement, although the agreement covers people from all ethnic communities. He said returnees had signed consent forms and that Malaysia had sought assurances over their treatment.

The UN refugee agency and rights groups have warned that returns remain risky because Myanmar is still embroiled in a civil war, with concerns including persecution, violence and forced military conscription. Fighting continues in several parts of the country, including Rakhine state, where the Rohingya have faced severe persecution.

Malaysia hosts more than 200,000 UNHCR-registered refugees and asylum seekers, including a large Rohingya population, but is not a party to the UN Refugee Convention and treats refugees as undocumented migrants. Anwar has defended repatriation as part of a long-term diplomatic effort, saying Malaysia cannot host refugees indefinitely.

Min Aung Hlaing's visit also marks an effort to rebuild regional ties after the 2021 military takeover that triggered armed resistance. It is his fifth visit to an ASEAN member state, following Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, as Myanmar seeks greater regional engagement despite ASEAN's continued exclusion of its leaders from top-level political meetings.