Chinland Parliament Urges Malaysia to Halt Deportations of Myanmar Refugees

The speaker of the resistance-led Chinland Parliament has issued a formal appeal to the Malaysian government, urging an immediate halt to the deportation of Myanmar nationals, including members of the ethnic Chin community and anti-coup dissidents.

In an open letter dated Oct. 5 to Malaysian Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Speaker U Hung Naing called on Kuala Lumpur to provide temporary humanitarian protection to detainees facing severe risks if returned to junta-controlled Myanmar.

“In line with the principle of non-refoulement, each case should be carefully reviewed to determine whether the person could face persecution or serious threats to their life and freedom,” U Hung Naing wrote, highlighting vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly, and Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) participants.

The appeal comes after Malaysia deported 1,476 Myanmar nationals on Sept. 29 on junta naval vessels, with plans to repatriate thousands more.

The Chinland Parliament urged Malaysia to coordinate with the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to establish temporary sanctuary arrangements instead of turning asylum-seekers over to the military regime.

Photo caption: Myanmar nationals detained in Malaysia.