In 2024, over 7,800 Rohingya refugees embarked on hazardous boat journeys from Bangladesh or Myanmar to Malaysia, an 80 per cent increase compared to 2023. However, not all reached Malaysia, as many were forcibly turned back to international waters, while more than 650 were lost at sea.[1] 

Malaysia’s non-signatory status to the 1951 Refugee Convention and the absence of any formal legal framework exposes refugees to immigration raids, arrests, detention, discrimination, and deportation. Despite recent efforts to transfer detained mothers and children from immigration detention centres (IDCs) to dedicated facilities, sustainable long-term solutions and proper alternatives to detention have yet to be implemented.  

MSF teams assist the most vulnerable refugees – undocumented Rohingya women and children – through a fixed clinic in Penang state and six mobile clinics in Penang and Kedah. We also support healthcare in two IDCs in Kedah and Perak. Services include basic healthcare, treatment for sexual and gender-based violence, mental health support, and financial assistance for people in need of specialist referrals to Ministry of Health hospitals.  We also refer patients, particularly women and adolescent girls, to the UNHCR, as registration with the UN refugee agency allows people to receive specialist care at a more affordable price. Our teams report a high demand for antenatal care and family planning.  

In the two IDCs, we provide medical and psychosocial care, and distribute essential hygiene items, such as soap and sanitary pads. We also conduct training on medical and mental health issues for immigration officers and medical assistants.  

Advocacy plays a key role in our activities in Malaysia. We regularly engage with government authorities and civil society organisations to highlight the plight of Rohingya refugees. We continue to oppose the detention of refugees in IDCs, and call for them to be issued identity documents, enabling them to work, access healthcare, and be better protected from exploitation and discrimination.

[1] UNHCR: Focus on saving lives, urges UNHCR as more Rohingya flee by sea | UNHCR Asia Pacific