Photo: Collected
Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing said on Thursday that migrants from the war-torn country who are in Malaysian detention centres would be taken back home ‘as quickly as possible’.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim invited Hlaing for talks on the repatriation of Myanmar migrants.
At a joint press conference with Anwar in the administrative capital Putrajaya, Min Aung Hlaing said, ‘We will take back home as quickly as possible those individuals whose Myanmar citizenship has been verified.’
The news was reported by news agency AFP.
This is Min Aung Hlaing’s first visit to Malaysia since seizing power. Kuala Lumpur is trying to secure their cooperation in sending thousands of Myanmar migrants back home.
However, human rights monitors have criticised the repatriation programme for its lack of transparency. Some of them fear that ethnic Rohingya could be sent back to a country where they have long been subjected to persecution, which many have described as genocide.
During the two-day visit, Min Aung Hlaing is stepping up his efforts to gain diplomatic recognition.
He was installed as civilian president in April. Democracy monitors had termed the election held before that a farce.
On Thursday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar again expressed gratitude to Myanmar for taking back its migrants.
He thanked Min Aung Hlaing for his ‘openness and willingness to cooperate’.
