KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has the opportunity to leverage its position as the Asean chair to take a more proactive role in addressing refugee issues in the region.
Doctors Without Borders, better known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) secretary-general Chris Lockyear, said this includes providing more formal assistance through a humanitarian approach for people fleeing war.
"I think if we consider a broader approach to addressing refugee issues in the region, we would advocate for both Malaysia and Asean to come together, especially with Malaysia's upcoming chairmanship.
"With this, policies surrounding refugees could be looked at, for example, to provide more formal assistance to people fleeing war.
"Without recognition and legal protections, refugees and asylum seekers will continue to rely on informal work and may become victims of exploitation," he said during a coffee-talk session with the Malaysian media today.
Aside from being potential victims of exploitation, Lockyear added that refugees would also face difficulties accessing healthcare without protection from host countries.
Citing the situation with Rohingyas in Malaysia, he added that there was also some hostility towards the group when seeking treatment.
"In terms of Rohingyas, access to healthcare for this demographic remains an issue.
"There is hostility towards them as patients, particularly those without United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) documentation seeking care in public healthcare facilities, which can lead to delays in treatment.
"There is also a fear of arrest, which can foster distrust between refugees and host communities.
"Refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia are also required to pay a fee to access public healthcare facilities, and that financial barrier remains prohibitive for many of them.
"Hence, we are prepared to work with the government to find sustainable solutions to uphold the dignity and wellbeing of these individuals," he said.
Lockyear also stressed that seeking safety from conflict and persecution is not a crime.
He added that while MSF acknowledges the challenges faced by the authorities, long-term solutions are needed to address the issue.
"A humanitarian approach is needed when it comes to people fleeing hostilities.
"To this end, we provide medical assistance in detention centres and are ready to continue doing so.
"We are also very aware that these vulnerable individuals require specific protection and support, especially children in detention, for whom we advocate safe release as soon as possible."