PETALING JAYA: An NGO that advocates for migrants and refugees has criticised the health ministry’s proposal to mandate health insurance contributions for refugees and asylum seekers, describing it as unrealistic and inequitable.
Tenaganita executive director Glorene Das said refugees are not legally permitted to work in Malaysia, forcing them to rely on irregular incomes and leaving many unable to meet even their most basic needs.
Das acknowledged the existence of the Refugee Medical Insurance (Remedi) scheme, which provides coverage at about RM183.60 per year, but stressed that even this amount is too costly for refugees.
“How can we make insurance compulsory for people whom we do not legally allow to earn a living? We cannot deny refugees basic rights while expecting them to fulfil financial obligations,” she told FMT.
Das said the government should first evaluate existing mechanisms like Remedi, identify gaps in affordability and coverage, and explore how such schemes can be strengthened.
She said a more sustainable solution would be to first grant refugees the legal right to work in Malaysia, enabling them to afford their own healthcare while simultaneously contributing to the local economy.
“We must also recognise that preventive healthcare and early treatment are far less costly than emergency interventions when people delay seeking medical attention because they cannot afford it,” she added.
Last week, the health ministry proposed making health insurance contributions compulsory for registered refugees and asylum seekers to help cover their treatment costs and prevent the accumulation of medical bill arrears.
Deputy health minister Hanifah Hajar Taib said this should apply to refugees and asylum seekers registered under the government’s refugee registration system, also known as DPP.
Hanifah said more than 80% of outstanding medical bills involve undocumented migrants and stateless persons.
Premiums must translate into real coverage
Separately, a health think tank said the health ministry must ensure that its proposal would lead to medical coverage for the community, citing recurrent issues involving insurance for migrant workers in Malaysia.
Galen Centre CEO Azrul Khalib said migrant workers are already required to have medical insurance to work in Malaysia, yet unsettled bills remained a continuous issue for them.
“Where does the money paid for their insurance go? Are these funds being used to provide the health coverage paid for?
“The problem is ensuring that the money from premiums paid actually goes towards the payment of medical bills,” he said.
Azrul said the proposal itself was not unrealistic, given the existence of Remidi, which is available to all refugees registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees until age 60. The scheme is backed by Allianz.
He said the health ministry should rope in an established insurance and takaful operator to handle the proposal, as this was the best way to manage contributions while giving refugees and asylum seekers access to the private healthcare system.