The Malaysian government is moving towards a stricter and more coordinated approach to managing undocumented migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, while maintaining that humanitarian considerations will not come at the expense of national security, public order and sovereignty.

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the government is reviewing a range of measures to strengthen the country’s management framework in line with Malaysia’s current security landscape and emerging challenges.

In a post on social media, Saifuddin said he attended the sixth High-Level Committee meeting on the Management of Refugees and Asylum Seekers (JTPPPA), chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Wednesday.

The meeting reviewed proposals aimed at making the management of undocumented migrants, refugees and asylum seekers more effective and systematic, with particular emphasis on enhancing coordination among relevant agencies through a unified management framework.

The Home Ministry said that, as the agency responsible for internal security, it assesses the issue from multiple perspectives. While humanitarian concerns remain an important consideration, the ministry stressed that there would be no compromise on matters involving national security, public order and the country’s sovereignty.

The committee also reviewed the progress of implementing the Refugee Registration Document and discussed several proposals to strengthen information sharing and inter-agency coordination among ministries and government agencies.

Officials attending the meeting said future policies and measures on refugee and asylum seeker management would be practical, clearly defined and effectively implementable, enabling all relevant agencies to operate under a coordinated policy framework.

The Home Ministry added that it would continue working closely with all stakeholders to ensure the swift implementation of the decisions taken at the meeting in order to safeguard national interests, public security and good governance.