KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 ― Malaysia could not deport ethnic Rohingya refugees being held here as no other country including Myanmar was willing to accept them, said Immigration director-general Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud.

In an interview with Sinar Harian, Khairul said this also meant the Rohingya would continue to see Malaysia as their number one destination when fleeing Myanmar.

"Since 2019, all Rohingya refugees who have been detained are being held at Immigration detention depots all across the country.

"There are currently 1,998 refugees in our detention depots right now,” he told Sinar Harian.

Khairul was responding to a report by Sinar Harian last friday on a Rohingya refugee who paid RM10,000 to an agent or syndicate to enter the country illegally.

On June 1, Khairul said that all Rohingya refugees held in detention depots will not be sent back to Myanmar as the country is reluctant to take them back.

He explained that even though they are undocumented migrants, Malaysia could not forcefully repatriate them if their home country of Myanmar refused to accept them back.