Part 8/14:
The Malaysian government’s stance has hardened recently. In 2022, authorities proposed closing the UNHCR office, aiming instead for internal refugee registration. This move threatens to reduce protection and limit access to assistance for refugees. Meanwhile, undocumented refugees and asylum seekers live in fear, often caught in raids that may lead to imprisonment, detention, or deportation, sometimes without due process. They are vulnerable even within detention facilities, where access to legal aid or UNHCR visits has become increasingly restricted.