Putrajaya:Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stated that Myanmar refugees convicted of criminal offenses must complete their sentences in this country before being repatriated to Myanmar. Though the Myanmar government is prepared to accept back its citizens currently held in Immigration detention depots, a screening process will be conducted before any action is taken.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Myanmar government has agreed to accept its citizens following a screening process. If any legal violations are found in their records, the legal proceedings will be handled locally first.

This announcement came after the MADANI Townhall program for Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Kedah students with the Home Minister. He noted that an initial commitment between both parties set the repatriation of 5,000 Myanmar refugees in motion. Of these, 1,400 have been processed and sent back by sea, while the remaining 3,600 are expected to be repatriated in stages.

On October 8, Myanmar expressed its readiness to accept up to another 4,000 of its citizens currently held in Immigration detention depots in this country. This was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim following a bilateral meeting with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing in Putrajaya.