Myanmar military leader visits Malaysia amid refugee repatriation row

Myanmar's military-backed government leader Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Malaysia on Wednesday for talks.

The visit comes amid international criticism of Malaysia's move to send Myanmar nationals back to their home country.

Four days before his arrival, about 1,500 Myanmar nationals were sent back from Malaysia. According to Malaysia, the number of people who have agreed to return in phases has reached about 5,000.

The UN Refugee Agency and rights groups have criticized this process. According to them, those returning may face the risk of violence, persecution and forced military conscription in Myanmar.

According to Malaysia's Ministry of Home Affairs, there were nearly 12,000 Myanmar nationals in immigration detention centers by the end of August.

According to UNHCR registration figures, there are about 215,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia, of whom about 126,000 are Rohingya. It is not clear whether those being sent back include members of the Rohingya community.

Malaysia has not signed the UN Refugee Convention.

ASEAN has kept Myanmar's military leader away from its high-level meetings since the military seized power in 2021.

According to Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Min Aung Hlaing addressed a business dialogue aimed at boosting investment and economic cooperation. He is scheduled to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday.