KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia has granted refugee status to 78 Rohingya from Myanmar under its new Refugee Registration Document (DPP) programme, with 25 of them identified as eligible to participate in a pilot employment initiative.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the individuals were among the first group assessed under the programme, which initially targeted detainees held at immigration detention depots in Perak.

“Until June 2026, 128 Myanmar nationals of Rohingya ethnicity, comprising 127 adult men and one adult woman, were transferred to the Special Detention Centre for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (PPKPPS) in Bidor, Perak.

“Following the status determination process, 78 individuals, comprising 77 men and one woman, have been approved as refugees under the DPP programme. The release process will only be carried out after all related procedures have been completed,” he said in a written parliamentary reply on July 8, as reported by Malay Mail.

Responding to a question from Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Saifuddin said the DPP programme, introduced on January 1, establishes a formal mechanism for identifying and managing migrants seeking temporary protection in Malaysia.

He said the Home Ministry is responsible for biometric data collection, security screening and verification of protection claims.

“The process involves migrants holding UNHCR documents as well as individuals who declare themselves as refugees.

“It is not limited to documentation alone, as each applicant must undergo the necessary screening and verification process before being recognised under the programme,” he said.

Successful applicants receive a DPP card, which serves as the government's recognised identification document for temporary stay in Peninsular Malaysia.

During the programme's first phase, the ministry recorded 4,010 detainees, comprising 4,008 Rohingya from Myanmar, one Sudanese national and one Syrian national. The group includes 2,746 adult men, 632 adult women, 392 boys and 240 girls.

Transfers to the Bidor centre are being carried out in stages due to its capacity of 400 people.

Saifuddin said the second phase of the programme, covering UNHCR document holders and refugee claimants living outside detention facilities, is expected to begin in the second half of 2026.

“The registration process for this group will be conducted at refugee status determination centres that will be announced later.

“The ministry is targeting for the registration exercise to be fully completed by Dec 31, 2029,” he said.

He added that the government is also exploring employment opportunities for recognised refugees through the DPP Employment Programme.

Saifuddin stressed that the registration exercise is conducted solely by the Immigration Department of Malaysia and does not involve non-governmental organisations.