• In response to the detention of a community member, some Rohingya communities mobilise quickly to: a) seek help from UNHCR or relevant NGOs to protect the detained community member and others at high risk of detention; b) engage community networks to warn and safeguard the broader community; c) attempt to secure the release of the detainee; and d) support family members of the detainee to meet t. [...] These sources informed a preliminary analysis of current legal and policy frameworks pertaining to the status of Rohingya communities in Malaysia, including access to protection and services, work rights, and immigration detention, as well as the immediate and long-term impact of immigration detention on Rohingya families and communities. [...] In addition to the inconsistent implementation of Malaysian law and policy, as well as lack of attempt to bring it in line with international humanitarian and human rights law, there are fundamental gaps in the legal framework around the use of immigration detention in Malaysia, and in particular around the detention of refugees, children, and other persons in situations of vulnerability: • Malays. [...] However, the lack of compensation for lawyers and the remote locations of immigration courts means that the vast majority of Rohingya have limited access to legal representation in practice.24 Organisation of Rohingya Communities in Malaysia Rohingya communities in Malaysia tend to organise and settle in groups mirroring their community groups in Myanmar. [...] This change in policy was allegedly due to a change in leadership at the Immigration Department in 201928 and accusations by the Ministry of Home Affairs that UNHCR was providing documentation to people seeking asylum to help release them from detention under the pretence of conducting RSD.29 The diminished access for UNHCR has led to a significant increase in the numbers of refugees and people se.
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