SHAH ALAM - Non-profit organisation Fugee.org co-founder Deborah Henry has strongly advocated for the Malaysian government to reform its refugee policies.
The former beauty queen said granting refugees access to education and employment would enhance their quality of life and significantly boost the country's economy.
"Allow refugees to have access to services like education and employment and let them contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of our country," she told Sinar Daily.
Henry said there was an urgent need for comprehensive policy reforms to make a meaningful difference in Malaysia.
She said currently, refugees in Malaysia face significant barriers to basic rights and services.
She stressed the importance of developing and implementing policies that guaranteed refugees the right to attend universities, schools and obtain legal employment.
"The only thing that's going to change in Malaysia is policy.
"We need to be serious about this. We have the brains, we have the resources, we have solutions, but we need the will to bring all the stakeholders together to create viable solutions that take care of refugees, Malaysians and the welfare of people in this country," she said.
Henry also criticised what she perceived as selective activism in the country's approach to refugee issues.
"You can't have selective activism, choosing one cause as worthy while dismissing another. That's not fair," she said.
She urged Malaysians to view this as an opportunity to address the refugee issue comprehensively.
She also called on Malaysians to educate themselves about the realities facing refugees before forming opinions.
"To all Malaysians, before you speak and have an opinion, learn about this subject matter," she said.
She acknowledged that many Malaysians questioned why resources should be diverted to help refugees when there were many poor Malaysians.
However, she said the government was not being asked to financially support refugees but to allow them access to services so they can support themselves and contribute to the economy.
"The government is not paying refugees as they are taking care of themselves.
"We are not asking the government to pay them. We are asking the government to allow refugees to access services, let them work and contribute to the GDP of our country," Henry added.