Malaysia records 199 crime cases involving Myanmar refugees

The Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs reported that 199 index crime cases involving Myanmar refugees were recorded nationwide between 2022 and August 2026. Selangor recorded the highest number of incidents with 58 cases, followed by Kedah with 26 and Johor with 24.

To manage refugees and asylum seekers, the government is utilizing National Security Council Directive No. 23 to ensure national security. Additionally, the Refugee Registration Document (DPP) program, launched on January 1, 2026, aims to centralize data management and reduce reliance on the UNHCR.

In the first phase of the DPP program, 4,010 detainees in immigration detention centers across Peninsular Malaysia were registered, including 4,008 Myanmar nationals, one Sudanese national, and one Syrian national. Adults are being transferred in stages to the Special Segregation Centre for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Bidor, Perak, which has an operational capacity of 400.