VOCR
21 August 2009,
Kuala Lumpur
by Salai C C,

The UNHCR office in Malaysia and all refugee Organizations held a meeting on 21 August, 2009 at Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. There are 64 refugee communities and organizations in Malaysia and three representatives from each community and organization attended it. The meeting was hosted by the UNHCR.

Ms. Latchimi from the UNHCR office initiated the meeting and followed by Mr. Elan Vernon (Chief of Mission), and delivered about Social Protection. He said to all participants, “The reason why we call you to attend a meeting with us is that we want to find a new method which would be helpful and benefit for your communities. He also distinguished that how much they wanted to help all refugees in Malaysia, adding they had been in touch with refugee organizations for long time but they still wanted to improve relationship between refugee organizations and the UNHCR.

He also described relating to refugee status in Malaysia that the refugees were in risky-security, no right to employ, housing, education and health. Refugees were isolated across the urban landscape, often group in small enclaves.

According to Ms. Latchimi, the UNHCR is ready to provide RM 10,000 for a community which had been registered with the UNHCR. But every community must write proposal and have to explain their expenditure as well before receiving the fund. The communities who want to register with the UNHCR for this fund must have at least less than 100 members.

In the meeting, the participants were divided into twelve persons for one group to discuss what is the most three vulnerable in their communities and what new project they will start if the ten thousands Ringit (RM 10,000) was provided.
CRC Coordinator Mr Kennedy presenting their resolution
made on group discussion
The participants were excitedly and joyfully made a resolution on their discussion that they would spend the money for HIV& TB patients who cannot pay their medical costs and to run new school for refugee children in Malaysia.
The UHNCR has been starting mobile registration from July and approximately (7107) refugees had been registered. All refugees are waiting for their turns as the UHNCR continue registration.



Refugees waiting for their turns in mobile registration