Govt approves tracking system on UNHCR refugees

LARUT: The government yesterday approved the adoption of the Tracking Refugees Information System (TRIS) on all United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) cardholders in Malaysia.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said UNHCR cardholders in the country must register with TRIS to identify the whereabouts of refugees and their reporting to the country.

"Yesterday, the Cabinet approved the programme (TRIS) to ensure all data on UNHCR card holders have been registered again with TRIS.

"TRIS can also ensure whether they are living in our country for the purpose of employment or to carry out other matters which could be improved through the policy approved by the National Security Council (MKN)," he said at a media conference after attending a Townhall session on northern zone 'Hari Kita Demi Negara' organised by the Home Ministry at Dewan Astaka, Batu Kurau here today.

Hamzah who is also Larut MP said TRIS had undergone trials for several years and was given the approval to be implemented on a large scale.

He said the implementation of TRIS has been handed over to a company which among others is to ensure the data of all refugees especially the location of their residence is known.

TRIS is Malaysia's database system on UNHCR cardholders and asylum seekers in addition to updating the management and profile processes along with the data collection, registration, profile storage, analysis and reporting processes for the Malaysian government.

Meanwhile, asked on the first monkeypox patient in Thailand who disappeared in Phuket as soon as he was informed on the screening result, Hamzah said the matter had been handed over to police to identify the patient should he escape to Malaysia.

Yesterday, Bernama reported that Thai health authorities are looking for a 27-year-old man for treatment and to control the spread of the disease.

-- BERNAMA