SUNGAI PETANI: Myanmar citizens convicted of criminal offences must complete their sentences in Malaysia before being repatriated, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He said although the Myanmar government was prepared to accept its citizens currently held at Immigration detention depots in Malaysia, they would first undergo screening.
"If our records show they were involved in legal violations, we will handle the legal proceedings first," he told reporters after a Madani Townhall programme with Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Kedah students.
He added that, based on the initial commitment agreed upon by both governments, 5,000 Myanmar citizens were to be repatriated.
"We have identified 5,000 citizens and processed 1,400, sending them back by sea. The remaining 3,600 Myanmar citizens are expected to be repatriated in stages," he said.
On Oct 8, Myanmar expressed its readiness to accept the repatriation of up to another 4,000 of its citizens currently held at Immigration detention depots in Malaysia.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the matter following a bilateral meeting with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing in Putrajaya.
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