Asylum Access Malaysia has been protecting and advancing the rights of refugees in Malaysia’s challenging legal environment since 2014.
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INTRODUCING ASYLUM ACCESS MALAYSIA
Asylum Access Malaysia was launched in 2014 and our field operations include direct legal services for refugees and people seeking asylum, ‘Know-Your-Options’ trainings, and engagement with UNHCR and other stakeholders in Malaysia’s refugee rights movement.
Asylum Access Malaysia’s refugee legal aid program assists refugees and asylum seekers to successfully navigate the UNHCR Refugee Status Determination (RSD) process, thereby improving their chances of living safely and moving freely in Malaysia. In addition to direct legal services, we offer Know-Your-Options workshops to provide basic legal and practical information to help refugees navigate the RSD process and avail themselves of other legal protections that may prevent detention, and help them acclimatize to life in Malaysia. We also engage in capacity building activities with lawyers, universities and civil society organizations to develop a refugee legal aid network in Malaysia.
We are proud members of:
Refugees in Malaysia
Malaysia is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, and has no domestic or administrative framework that governs refugees and their rights. Refugees also do not have access to fundamental rights including legal status, safe and lawful employment, formal education and equal protection of the law, and are at constant risk of arrest, detention and exploitation.
Increasingly, the Malaysian government has evidenced a greater willingness for dialogue on subjects such as refugee rights and human trafficking. As a result, Asylum Access Malaysia seeks new opportunities to further develop refugee employment rights, protection of refugees against trafficking, access to social services such as healthcare services, and improvements to due process protections in refugee status/asylum proceedings.
OUR PROGRAMS
Legal Aid
Asylum applications in Malaysia are currently handled by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The process can be lengthy, complicated and often traumatic. We provide our clients with the legal and social support to help them navigate this process and obtain refugee status.
Community Empowerment
We provide ongoing training in legal support, interpreting and leadership for refugees who want to become advocates for their community. We also resource and strengthen refugee and host community-led initiatives that contribute to the support and opportunities available to refugees.
Policy Advocacy
We work alongside other human rights groups to advocate for changes to Malaysian law that will restore the safety and dignity of refugees in the country. We are pushing for a Malaysia in which all refugees can feel safe and rebuild their lives.
OUR IMPACT
Serving the refugee community
We reach over 2,800 clients per year with direct legal aid and community empowerment programs.
Learn more about Asylum Access’s global impact on the Our Impact page.
Learn more about Asylum Access Malaysia
You can learn more about Asylum Access Malaysia by exploring the sections linked below:
Contact Us
Landline Number
+60 3-2201-5438
Operation: Monday to Thursday, 9 am – 5 pm *except for weekends and public holidays
WhatsApp & Signal
+60 1-2224-5439
Operation: Monday to Friday, 9 am – 5 pm *except for weekends and public holidays
General Inquiries: malaysia@asylumaccess.org
Legal Services: legal.aam@asylumaccess.org
Community Outreach: outreach.aam@asylumaccess.org
Partnerships and Collaborations: partnership.aam@asylumaccess.org
For any resources or information on healthcare, education, livelihoods, and others, please visit the UNHCR Refugee Malaysia website: https://refugeemalaysia.org/
If you’d like to join our team, please see current job openings here on our Career Opportunities page.