The Rohingya Refugee Issues; Implications Towards Malaysia’s National Security

This study is concerned with the issues of Rohingya refugees in Malaysia that affect Malaysia’s national security. Over four decades, The Rohingya refugee has lived invisibly in the country. However, their number has increased from time to time, especially since the 2000s. This study has three objectives. First, to determine the status of Rohingya refugees in Malaysia; second, to identify the issues of Rohingya refugees that influence the security of Malaysia; third, to analyse the implications of the Rohingya refugees’ issues towards Malaysia’s national security. Malaysia National Security Policy 2020 has been used to identify issues of Rohingya refugees that influence Malaysia’s national security. The implication of Rohingya refugees on Malaysia’s national security will be analysed through internal and external impacts. Qualitative research using secondary data has been collected from reliable printed and online documents, articles, reports, and books. The findings of this study are that, first, the Rohingya refugees are similarly considered illegal immigrants in Malaysia, the county has not ratified the 1967 Protocols to the 1951 Refugee Convention; second, Rohingya refugees create potential threats and issues that affect Malaysia’s national security either internally or externally. Moreover, their presence in the country has cause several threats, such as smuggling of immigrants, human trafficking, criminal activities, infectious disease, terrorism, and radicalism; third, these threats have impact and implications to the societal, economy, political stance, health, and the Malaysian Government’s approach in dealing with this refugees group. This study concludes that the issues of Rohingya refugees significantly affect Malaysia’s national security since their number has increased yearly. However, the Malaysian Government must take more concrete and comprehensive action with support from all parties or entities to mitigate the issues.

Kajian ini adalah berkenaan pelarian Rohingya yang memberi kesan terhadap keselamatan Malaysia. Selama lebih empat dekat, pelarian Rohingya telah berada di negara ini. Walaubagaimanapun, jumlah mereka semakin hari semakin meningkat, terutamanya sejak tahun 2020. Kajian ini mempunyai tiga objektif. Pertama, untuk mengenalpasti status pelarian Rohingya dari perspektif Kerajaan Malaysia; kedua, untuk mengenalpasti isu-isu melibatkan pelarian Rohingya yang memberi kesan terhadap keselamatan negara; ketiga, untuk menganalisa impak pelarian Rohingya yang mempengaruhi keselamatan negara. Dasar Keselamatan Negara Tahun 2020 menjadi tonggak atau penanda aras dan rujukan untuk mengenalpasti isu-isu pelarian Rohingya ini. Impak pelarian Rohingya terhadap keselamatan negara dianalisa berdasarkan ancaman dalam dan luar negara. Kajian ini dilaksanakan dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif, data sekunder yang dikumpulkan daripada dokumen bercetak atau dalam talian, artikel, laporan dan buku-buku yang boleh dipercayai. Hasil kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa; pertama, pelarian Rohingya di negara ini dikategorikan sama seperti Pendatang Asing Tanpa Izin (PATI) kerana Malaysia bukan dari kalangan negara-negara yang telah menandatangani Konvensyen Pelarian 1951 dan Protokol 1967; kedua, pelarian Rohingya ini telah berpotensi mewujudkan ancaman yang boleh mengganggu-gugat keselamatan negara, sama ada ancaman dari luar dan dalam negara. Tambahan pula, kehadiran mereka di negara ini juga menyebabkan beberapa kesan terhadap ancamaan seperti penyeludupan, pemerdagangan manusia, aktiviti jenayah, penyakit beijangkit, puak pelampau dan pengganas; ketiga, isu pelarian Rohingya juga memberi impak terhadap sosial, ekonomi, kesihatan dan pendekatan Malaysia dalam menangani isu pelarian Rohingya ini. Kajian ini menyimpulkan bahawa pelarian Rohingya di Malaysia memberi impak yang siknifikan terhadap keselamatan Negara Malaysia, sejak bilangan mereka semakin meningkat di Negara ini. Walaubagaimanapun Malaysia perlu bekerjasama dengan negara-negara dan pertubuhan antarabangsa lain untuk mengurangkan impak pelarian Rohingya terhadap keselamatan Negara Malaysia.