14,000 Rohingya living in Kedah

Photo: Reuters

Arakan Now | 18 November 2025

Around 14,000 Rohingya have been identified living across the Malaysian state of Kedah.

Kedah Immigration Director Mohd Ridzzuan Mohd Zain said that most of them hold valid UNCHR cards. 

"The Kedah Immigration Department has profiled all Rohingya in the state. There are Rohingya in every district… and when we enter their areas, most of them have UNHCR cards," he said.

He added that continuous operations and inspections are being carried out on these foreigners.

Those without valid documents will be detained.

The Belantik Immigration Depot in Silk is currently holding 1,432 detainees, although his capacity is only 950.

Out of this number, 1,217 detainees are from Myanmar, and 522 of them are Rohingya. 

"For Myanmar citizens who are not Rohingya, we have no problem sending them back. But for Rohingya, they are not recognised as citizens of Myanmar," Mohd Ridzzaun explained.

Because of this some Rohingya detainees have been held in the depot for up to eights years. Most of them were detained while trying to enter Malaysia by sea.

Earlier,it was reported that 29 Rohingya died in a boat accident involving Rohingya refugees off the coast of langkawi.