Home Ministry questions arbitrary provision of UNHCR refugee cards

KAPAR: The Home Ministry (KDN) has questioned the actions of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) of providing refugee identification cards to several Indonesian nationals.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin said the ministry found several Indonesians in possession of UNHCR refugee cards during enforcement actions conducted by the Malaysian Immigration Department.

"How can the UNHCR issue such cards arbitrarily, until those who possess them seem to be able to somehow stay in the country legally," he said during a media conference after the enforcement operation at Meru Market near here last night.

The operation saw 704 foreigners inspected, 51 immigrants detained on various immigration-related offences.

On the system failure at the Kelana Jaya Immigration Office reported by a news portal today, Hamzah said it not only occurred at the office but immigration offices in other locations as well.

"I want to inform everyone actually we use this (online) but it's an old system. So when an old system is overwhelmed, it will jam slightly. That's why we have awarded a new company for a system and they are conducting (the process) and insya-Allah in 2024 it will all be completed, and we can use a better more sophisticated system," he added.

-- BERNAMA