Page 1 VOCR Weekly Newsletter(Vol.
1, Issue 12) March 16, 2009
A new place for refugee pregnant women
VOCR
March 15, 2009
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
ACTS clinic has started running a new program for
pregnant refugee women. The Clinic has special time
on every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm only for the
pregnant refugee women. The clinic will refer
pregnant women to the government hospital for
maternity.
Pregnant women used to go to government hospitals
or clinics near by their residents where they received
medical treatment as well as medical book that
indicates one’s pregnancy. However, since two
weeks ago, those clinics and hospitals have not been
accepting pregnant refugee women. They have been
told to go to ACTS clinic at Brickfield in Kuala
Lumpur.
Chin refugee weekly newsletters have announced the
information about changing the place for the
pregnant women to have medical treatment during
their pregnancy.
ACTS clinic is known as the only clinic in Malaysia
that works directly with UNHCR office. Vulnerable
patients referred by ACTS for registration have
opportunity to be registered as asylum-seekers at
UNHCR office.
The government hospitals (MCHs) and clinics used
to issue a medical book, for each pregnant woman
that is useful to have registration as asylum-seekers
in UNHCR office.
Aye Aye, a refugee woman from Burma said, “I
went to Bahagian MCH at Jalan Hang Tuah, but I
was told that they no longer accept refugee women
there and told me to go to ACTS clinic. Actually,
ACTS clinic is quite far from my resident, I need to
take monorail. I would prefer to go to hospital or
clinic near by my resident, but it is impossible for
me, now”
VOCR Weekly Newsletter is issued by VOCR News Group, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Many undocumented migrants arrested in
Kuala Lumpur
VOCR
March 15, 2009
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Last Friday evening, the Malaysian authorities and
immigration held operation by blocking the local
buses, and arrested hundreds of illegal residents in
Malaysia.
Mr. Rung said, “My friends and I came back from
our work around 7:30PM. When we arrived Klang
our bus was stopped by immigration police. All
passengers were checked. Those who have valid
passport and some UNHCR card holders were
released. But those who did not have any legal
documents were immediately arrested and were
taken by four lorry trucks. I think they all were taken
to a detention camp.”
A couple of refugee young men from Burma were
not arrested in the operation. However, they waited
until the immigration police left the place. They
spent the whole night on a cement floor as they could
not get any bus or taxi at mid night.
The authorities blocked the local buses and railways
in order to hunt migrant workers and residents. Such
operation does not lance asylum-seekers and refugee
either. Refugees and asylum-seekers are living in
fear of arrest and being detained. Within December
2008 and January 2009 eleven asylum-seekers who
belong to Chin ethnic people from Burma were
canned for two strokes each after 7 month detention
in a detention camp and prison in Perak state.
Contact Us: VOCR News Group
Email: vocrnews@gmail.com,
Phone: 006016-9160018, Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
VOCR weekly newsletter is issued and owned by
VOCR news group, which is an independent, and
non-profit news service focusing on Burma political
issues and the Chin refugees in Malaysia.
Page 2 VOCR Weekly Newsletter(Vol. 1, Issue 12) March 16, 2009
The voice from a refugee pregnant woman VOCR: Wasn’t there any Lai interpreter?
Salai Ram Nun Cung DC: No, there was no Lai interpreter. There was an
March 14, 2009, interpreter who spoke only in Burmese but I could
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia not speak Burmese, that’s why I returned home
without having registered for medical treatment.
VOCR visited one NGO clinic in Brickfield Kuala
Lumpur and had had interviewed with some of VOCR: So if you have option to choose whether
refugee pregnant women. The VOCR heard that the to go to MCH or ACTS, what will you choose and
refugee pregnant women are facing problem to find a why?
place for their medical treatment during and after Dawt: I will surely choose MCH clinic because it is
pregnancy. In order to understand more information nearer for me and I can go any time during office
about pregnant refugee women, VOCR had had an days but ACTS is only available on Saturday and I
interview with a pregnant woman, an asylum-seeker know if all refugee women have to approach there
from Burma. once a week, there will be along queue. But I don’t
have any choice.
VOCR: Could you tell us your name and where
you are from? VOCR: Thanks a lot for giving us your time to
Dawt: My name is Ms. Dawt and I am an asylum- have this interview.
seeker from Chin State, Burma. Dawt: Thank you very much.

VOCR: How long have you been in Malaysia?

Are you alone or with your family? How many
Chin people are staying with you in your
apartment?
Dawt: I have been staying here in Malaysia for more
than a year with my husband. I came to Malaysia
because my life was not safe in Burma since my
husband left me. We do not stay at condominium
because the cost is very high. My husband is
working at a veterinary and a doctor provides one
room for my husband and me, but we are not staying
alone because some of our friends from Burma
cannot afford a room. So we share them our small.
Now, more than 15 persons are staying in one room.
VOCR: Have you been to any clinic before? How
long have you been pregnant?
Dawt: I have been pregnant for about five months
but never been to any clinic except MCH, as I don’t
know how to go around. Besides my husband could
only afford our daily bread. I went to MCH clinic
last week but they denied my registration. I don't
know why they denied my registration. I heard the
pregnant women can go and have a treatment at
MCH clinic before.
VOCR: Did you have any problems when you go
to ACTS clinic?
Dawt: Yes, I did have. The problem was that I
cannot either speak Burmese or other foreign
languages besides Lai. (Lai is her mother language;
a Chin language of Burma). I blamed myself for not
be able to speak Burmese.
Malaysia Special Branch had meeting with
Refugee Community leaders in Malaysia
VOCR
March 14, 2009
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Malaysia police special branch had held a meeting
with refugee community leaders in Malaysia on
March 09, 2009 at Kachin Refugee Committee office
in Kuala Lumpur.
A community leader who attended the meeting said,
“The meeting between community leaders and police
special branch has come to the second time with in
this year. Before that the community leaders were in
fear of police special branch. But such meetings
bring mutual understanding and cooperation between
refugee communities and Malaysia police in terms of
preventing crimes.”
The meeting elected Mr. Robert Tei Thang to be
coordinator. He is currently coordinator of ACR.
The responsible persons from police special branch
had introduced and explained within its limitation
about the work plans to the community leaders.
Almost all Burmese refugee community leaders in
Malaysia attended the meeting with great keenness
for the safety of their vulnerable refugees.

VOCR Weekly Newsletter is issued by VOCR News Group, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia