MP SPEAKS | The Malaysian rapporteur presented Malaysia’s plans and achievements on human rights at the UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review in Geneva, Switzerland, on Jan 25.

On the subject of migrant workers and refugees, several improvements were highlighted by the government.

However, reports from UN special rapporteurs and UNHCR, through unbiased observations, pointed out that more needs to be done for both documented and undocumented migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia on humanitarian and human rights grounds.

Since Malaysia has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 protocol, there are gaps in policies, laws, attitudes and approaches on how to manage these vulnerable groups.

Firstly, there is no legal language to...