The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has recommended that biometric ID cards be used to keep track of refugees arriving in Malaysia from Myanmar.UNHCR Representative in Malaysia Richard Towle has said the agency was proposing a card with advance biometric security features, so that the government could keep tabs on refugees.”We've already proposed this to the Malaysian government and the matter is currently under discussion,” he told the Malaysian insider.The body currently issues a standard identity card to all refugees registered under the agency. This card, said Towle, has “high commercial value” but “no legal value” in Malaysia.”A major challenge facing the government in the 21st century is having to deal with security threats and organised international crime involving human trafficking syndicates. This is why we're proposing a proper registration system (and biometric documentation) for refugees to regulate and manage the refugee situation more effectively,” he told the newspaper.In May, UNHCR has revealed that it is working with Accenture to deliver a biometric technology system for registering and verifying the identities of displaced persons around the world.Under the terms of the three-year contract, which was secured after a competitive tendering process, UNHCR will deploy Accenture's Biometric Identity Management System (BIMS) across UNHCR global operations.
UNHCR proposes biometric ID for refugees in Malaysia
