He said existing ties would be preserved as the UNHCR was still relevant as an international body and its expertise in managing refugees was still needed by Malaysia.

“What is happening is a proposal for a transition, with the Malaysian government having its own card to be used by refugees and asylum seekers coming to Malaysia.

“If this can be done, then the UNHCR office will be closed. But this needs time.

“We need to do training and, to my understanding, UNHCR has agreed to conduct training together with our home ministry officers so that they will have the required efficiency.”

Saifuddin said this when asked to comment on a study on the proposal by National Security Council director-general Rodzi Md Saad to close the UNHCR office in Malaysia.

Malaysia, Saifuddin said, should give an assurance to the international community that it can manage the presence of refugees and asylum seekers better and in a more systematic manner than UNHCR.

He said any closure of the UNHCR office would not change Malaysia’s stand in terms of humanitarian assistance although Malaysia has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention.

“Despite not ratifying the convention, we have been giving humane treatment to them, starting from the Vietnamese refugees in the 1970s until today, with many coming from Myanmar and countries like Palestine and Syria,” he added.