World · Malaysia Bureau
Myanmar teen girl not sent home on military vessel, immigration chief says
Malaysia's immigration chief has clarified that a teenage girl from Myanmar remains in custody at an immigration detention facility and is not part of a repatriation programme involving Myanmar's military navy.
LSN Malaysia ·
The Immigration Department has moved to clarify the status of a teenage girl from Myanmar following reports of a military repatriation operation, with Immigration Director-General Zakaria Shaaban confirming the adolescent remains held at an immigration depot.
Shaaban stated that the girl is not involved in any organised repatriation programme using Myanmar military vessels, addressing concerns that had surfaced regarding her potential deportation.
The clarification comes as Malaysia continues to grapple with irregular migration flows from Myanmar, where ongoing political instability has prompted many to seek refuge across regional borders. The immigration authority has not provided further details regarding the girl's case or timeline for any future proceedings.
The statement underscores the distinction between official immigration detention procedures and military-coordinated repatriation operations, which have occasionally drawn scrutiny from humanitarian organisations monitoring deportation practices in the region.