VOCR
17th December,2009
Kuala Lumpur
By Salai C C

A Chin refugee Tawk Tial, holder of UNHCR card file no. 354-08C03557 who works at TV game shop, was charged over holding fake UNHCR card by the injustice Malaysia court. She was arrested by the police at her workplace and was detained for twelve days in Sentul police station.

Even though she is holder of real UNHCR card, the immigration and police accused her of holding fake UNHCR card. She has been recognized refugee from Myanmar by the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees in Malaysia and issued the card in the same year.

When she was arrested by the police, her boss said to her husband that she had already been fined RM 2000 for her release. But later, her case was referred to immigration office and accused her of undocumented person.

She appeared to court on 17th December, 2009 and was found guilty under holding fake UNHCR card and working without proper document in Malaysia. As the lawyer approved the offence which was brought by the immigration office, she was given another appointment in January next year and was transferred from the police station to Kajang immigration camp.

The husband with tear said that he went to UNHCR office to inform that his wife is appointed to appear to court and asked UNHCR office to send one interpreter during her trail but the OPI team denied his claim. He also mentioned to the OPI officer that his wife is holder of real UNHCR card and asked the officer to write recommendation letter for his wife. But the officer told him that they could not help him anything regarding the matter.

“I believed that my wife would be released if we had recommendation letter from UNHCR office. We have one lawyer from Legal Aid office. But when the magistrate asked the lawyer to show recommendation letter for my wife from UNHCR office, our lawyer has nothing to show” the husband added.