We condemn, and call for an immediate retraction of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim’s order to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in ceasing the issuance of UNHCR identification cards, citing the ridiculous reason of there being ‘illegal clearing’ in Cameron Highlands and Rompin by bearers of the said cards.
The banning of the issuance of UNHCR cards will have absolutely no impact on the illegal clearing activities, as the organisations behind these illegal and exploitative activities have no qualms about employing illegal workers, regardless of whether or not they hold a UNHCR card.
It is unbecoming of a senior Politician to resort to such laziness in thought and actions, especially when he himself has pointed out that counterfiet is rife. It should be the counterfeit operations and the business owners behind illegal clearing that needs to be acted upon, not the banning of the work UNHCR.
It is the shame and misfortune of Malaysians, for a Minister to issue nonsensical reasons for banning a UN official agency from performing one of its key functions, one that operates in 126 countries worldwide.
He as a minister should also understand the importance of registering refugees, as a means to protect the refugees from unlawful and exploitative activities; but also a process in which host nations can track the number of and effectively manage refugees.
According to the Minister’s logic, NRIC, PASSPORTS and even currency notes should immediately cease being issued as there are counterfeits of all the above in circulation and being abused. It is simply illogical and nonsensical.
The sound, responsible and logical step to take in overcoming the challenges named by minister is surely to step up on enforcement work on the alleged illegal clearing, provide the UNHCR with sufficient support and resources in conducting a more stringent and abuse-free registration process and issuing, better more counterfeit proof cards.
A matter as intricate as this require a solution that is carefully thought through instead of one that is half baked and victimizes innocent individuals. Or is it simply because the minister himself is half baked and unable to comprehend the situation, therefore blaming and victimising the only party outside of his own accountability?