服侍人群 The People Group

馬來西亞並非1951年聯合國難民公約的簽署國，因此難民與尋求庇護者在當地缺乏法律保障。據2024年初聯合國難民署的數據，馬來西亞大約有18萬5千名登記在案的難民和庇護者，其中超過10萬8千人是從緬甸逃過來的羅興亞穆斯林。剩下的包括來自緬甸其他少數民族（像欽族、克欽族）、巴基斯坦、阿富汗、也門、敘利亞，甚至索馬里的難民。雖然聯合國難民署（UNHCR）會登記並發放身分證件給難民，但這些證件不賦予正式的法律身份或基本權利。

依據馬來西亞本地法律，難民被視為“非法移民”，因此面臨被逮捕、拘留甚至遣返的風險。他們無法接受公立教育，也不能合法工作，只能從事薪資偏低、非正式且可能受剝削的工作。一些非政府團體和宗教組織會提供援助，但資源有限。

馬來西亞是以穆斯林為主的國家，並以伊斯蘭教為官方宗教。政府在政策、教育以及公共生活中積極支持伊斯蘭教，但也承認多民族、多宗教的社會結構。根據憲法，馬來人（必須信奉伊斯蘭教）在法律上享有比非馬來穆斯林與非穆斯林更多的特權。近年來，類似羅興亞難民等穆斯林少數群體的處境，雖獲部分社會同情，但也時常遭遇歧視，特別是在政治或經濟不穩時。

Malaysia isn’t signed up to the 1951 Refugee Convention, so refugees and asylum seekers don’t have solid legal rights here. As of early 2024, there are about 185,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia, according to the UNHCR. Most of them—around 108,000—are Rohingya Muslims who’ve fled violence and persecution in Myanmar. The rest come from places like Myanmar’s other ethnic groups (Chin, Kachin, etc.), Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and even Somalia.

UNHCR gives refugees registration cards, but these don’t mean much in local law. Legally, refugees are still considered “illegal immigrants.” That means they can get arrested, locked up, or sent back home. They don’t have access to public schools for their kids, and adults can’t work legally, so a lot end up in low-wage, risky jobs. NGOs and religious groups help out, but there just isn’t enough support to go around.

Malaysia’s a Muslim-majority country (about 60% of the population is Muslim), and Islam is the official religion. Malays (the dominant group) are all legally Muslim and get special privileges, while other locals—including both Muslims and non-Muslims—don’t get the same treatment. Sympathy for refugees, especially fellow Muslims like the Rohingya, exists, but there’s also quite a bit of suspicion and even discrimination—especially when the economy is shaky.