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Bar Council jointly organised a first-of-its-kind seminar on International Refugee Law with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Judicial and Legal Training Institute (ILKAP). Initiated by the Bar Council Subcommittee of Migrants, Refugees and Immigration Affairs, the seminar was held on 5 and 6 Aug 2010 at the ILKAP training centre at Bangi.

The speaker, Rodger Haines, QC, is the Deputy Chairperson of the New Zealand Refugee Status Appeals Authority and a lecturer in Immigration and Refugee Law at the Faculty of Law, Auckland University.  The 70 participants included High Court and Session Court Judges, magistrates, legal advisors from the Federal Court and Court of Appeal, representatives from Prisons Department of Malaysia, Royal Malaysian Police, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Attorney General’s Chambers, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Terengganu State Legal Advisor’s Office, Department of Immigration and Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development.

UNHCR representatives, Asha Dhillon, Anna Pelosi and Jose Alvin and Bar Council representatives, M Ramachelvam (Chairperson, Subcommittee of Migrants, Refugees and Immigration Affairs), Andrew Khoo (Co-Chairperson, Human Rights Committee) and Sumitha (Executive Officer, Bar Council Secretariat) attended the seminar as observers.

After M Ramachelvam’s welcome address, Alan Vernon, UNHCR representative to Malaysia, spoke on the refugee situation in Malaysia. Rodger Haines gave a comprehensive lecture on the international human rights framework and different scopes of refugee definition.  On the second day, Rodger Haines concentrated on the detention and penalisation of refugees for what is regarded as illegal entry and the role of the judiciary in protecting and promoting the human rights of refugees.

At the end of the seminar, Rodger Haines took questions from the floor.  Bar Council wishes to thank UNHCR and ILKAP for their assistance in successfully organising the seminar and hopes for their continued support in future events.

It is unfortunate that Malaysia has not signed the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention.  Bar Council will continue with its efforts to engage the Malaysian government to adopt policies that will enhance and uphold the rights of refugees.

Click here to view the list of participants.