Malaysia : Activities Of International Organization for Migration ( IOM )

Historical overview

An IOM doctor assesses the health of a refugee bound for the USA. Photo: Frederick Leong/IOM, 2008.

IOM first became active in Malaysia in the late 1970s during the Indochinese refugee crisis. As a part of the Malaysian National Security Council's Working Group on Resettlement, IOM provided medical screening and transportation assistance for refugees leaving Malaysia. Refugee resettlement continued until 1994, when the crisis ended with the resettlement or repatriation of all the Indochinese refugees. When resettlement operations ended, IOM continued to help the Malaysian government in implementing an Assisted Voluntary Return Programme for failed asylum seekers. IOM also assisted various Malaysian government agencies, in cooperation with the Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister's Department, under the German Integrated Expert Programme between 1984 and 1995.

IOM's current activities in Malaysia

Figure 1: Number of IOM assisted departures from Malaysia, 2005-2008

In 2005, IOM was asked by several of its member states to assist in facilitating the resettlement of refugees out of Malaysia, many of whom are Chin refugees from Myanmar. IOM was also asked to assist the voluntary return of stranded migrants and victims of trafficking out of Malaysia. As shown in Figure 1, the number of IOM-assisted departures from Malaysia has dramatically increased from 579 in 2005 to 5,997 in 2008. Malaysia has also played an active role in regional migration management related processes and workshops, for which IOM is the secretariat. The IOM team in Kuala Lumpur currently comprises 30 staff, the majority of whom are Malaysian citizens. They include physicians, medical support staff, laboratory technicians, cultural orientation trainers, IT technicians, operations and administrative staff.

Movement assistance

IOM staff help refugees at Kuala Lumpur Airport. Photo: Frederick Leong/IOM, 2008.

In coordination with UNHCR, resettlement country embassies, the Malaysian Immigration Department and other concerned government departments, since 2005 IOM has facilitated the resettlement of over 20,600 refugees to 11 countries, including Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the UK and the USA. These programmes are projected to reach levels of 7.000 – 8.000 departures annually in the years to come. IOM has also arranged the voluntary return of stranded migrants to over 20 countries, and the return of victims of human trafficking to countries including Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Myanmar and Thailand. The return of these migrants is carefully coordinated with IOM offices and counterparts in the countries of origin/return, to make sure that assisted migrants receive the support they need for successful reintegration. IOM's movement assistance includes helping resettlement countries and countries of return to arrange interviews, making the travel arrangements, coordinating with the IOM office in the receiving country, assisting with exit formalities, and organizing departure and transit assistance at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. IOM has a global agreement with Malaysia Airline Systems (MAS), which facilitates its arrangement of travel for those it assists.

Medical and Health Related Assistance

IOM has helped over a million refugees worldwide to resettle in new countries. Photo: IOM, 1976.

An IOM doctor assesses the health of a refugee bound for the USA. Photo: Frederick Leong/IOM, 2008. IOM panel physicians perform physical examinations to assess the health of each refugee and identify medical conditions that may require treatment prior to departure or intervention after resettlement. Refugees are also given chest x-rays and blood tests to identify infectious diseases. These are processed at an IOM-assisted Mycobacteriology Laboratory in Kuala Lumpur.
IOM has been designated to operate a satellite TB treatment center by Malaysian Ministry of Health for refugees accepted for resettlement. Accepted refugees identified with active tuberculosis are treated with DOT (Directly Observed Therapy) under IOM supervision. Prior to departure, IOM physicians conduct tests to ensure refugees are fit to travel to resettlement countries. When required, IOM also provides medical escorts.
Beyond refugee resettlement, IOM is seeking a dialogue with the Malaysian Ministry of Health on issues of migration and health. One such issue that has public health implications for the wider Malaysian population involves the treatment and prevention of communicable diseases among undocumented migrant populations.

Refugees in a CO class are asked to write down what they know about their resettlement country. Photo: Peter Salnikowski/IOM, 2008.

Cultural Orientation The IOM cultural orientation (CO) team in Malaysia provides CO classes to refugees bound for Australia. Over 10,000 refugees have attended IOM CO classes since 2005. These have a duration of 3 - 5 days, take place in an interactive and student-centered learning environment, and cover essential information that refugees need for successful integration in their resettlement country.
Topics covered during the CO classes include children's education, health, legal systems, transportation and how to get jobs. Special curricula have been developed for children, families, youth, singles and parents. Toddlers and infants are provided with daycare, while their parents attend the CO classes. IOM also provides logistical assistance to CO trainers from other resettlement countries who come to Malaysia to conduct CO classes.

Migration Management

18 Asia-Pacific countries participated in the Regional Conference on Labor Migration Management. Photo: IOM, 2008.

Malaysia participates in two regional processes - the Bali Process and the Colombo Process - for which IOM serves as the Secretariat. The Bali Process is a regional cooperation mechanism to combat people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crime. Malaysia has been a member since its launch in 2002. Malaysia also participates in the Colombo Process on the Management of Overseas Employment and Contractual Labour for Countries of Origin in Asia, as a labour receiving country. In 2008, with 19 other countries, it signed the Abu Dhabi Declaration on Overseas Employment and Contractual Labour for Countries of Origin and Destination in Asia. Malaysian officials also regularly participate in a variety of migration management training workshops that IOM organizes in the region and beyond.
For more information on IOM's activities in Malaysia, please contact:
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Malaysia 570, Jalan Bukit Petaling,
50460 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +60 3 9235 5400
Fax: +60 3 2145 1094
Website: www.iom.int
E-mail: iomkualalumpur@iom.int