KUALA LUMPUR — Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at 04:30 GMT on Wednesday for a two-day visit. The trip coincided with criticism from rights groups and the United Nations regarding Malaysia's plan to repatriate Myanmar nationals, with warnings that returnees could face persecution and forced military conscription.

Hlaing met with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday. This was Hlaing's first visit to Malaysia since becoming president in April 2026 following a general election. Rights groups characterized the election that brought Hlaing to power as designed to cement the military’s hold on power or illegitimate.

Ibrahim said 10,493 Myanmar citizens have been returned from Malaysia to Myanmar on flights and naval ships this year. Nearly 1,500 Myanmar nationals were returned to Myanmar from Malaysia last week. Malaysia says 11,804 Myanmar nationals are still held at detention facilities across the country.

Ibrahim defended the repatriation policy, stating that Malaysia cannot host undocumented foreign nationals indefinitely and that Myanmar must take responsibility for its citizens. He stated that some 5,000 people have agreed to be repatriated in stages. He said the repatriation of Myanmar nationals would be carried out on a voluntary, safe and dignified basis.

"We will do whatever is possible to make sure that we enhance this collaboration and ultimately take Myanmar as part of our community of nations without prejudice, and particularly in the context of ASEAN." Ibrahim said. He stated that bilateral trade between Malaysia and Myanmar had increased by more than 140% year-on-year.

Hlaing told a news conference that Myanmar will accept more migrants held in Malaysia as soon as possible. "I firmly believe that enhancing our bilateral economic cooperation will bring highly practical economic benefits and joint opportunities for the people of both countries." Hlaing said. He stated that Malaysia was Myanmar’s fourth-largest trading partner and ninth-largest investor.

Hlaing promised to expedite the repatriation process and send a naval vessel to Malaysia to assist. A spokeswoman for he said the agenda of the visit includes discussions on the voluntary, dignified and safe repatriation of Myanmar nationals currently in Malaysia. It is unclear if any of the returnees included minority Muslim Rohingya. Rights groups held a peaceful rally in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to protest the visit.

Malaysia stressed that inviting Hlaing does not amount to diplomatic recognition of Myanmar’s government. Hlaing sought to reassure Malaysian investors that Myanmar was on a path toward democracy and that his government was working to restore stability, according to state-run MRTV television. He is subject to Western sanctions.

Hlaing has previously visited Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia as part of efforts to rebuild regional ties. Additional reports indicate he has also made trips to China, India, Russia, and Belarus. ASEAN has blocked Myanmar from top-level political meetings since the 2021 military takeover. Hlaing ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in February 2021 while serving as army chief.

The civil war in Myanmar has killed an estimated 100,000 people and displaced more than 3.5 million since 2021. Malaysia is home to about 215,600 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR, including about 126,000 Rohingya. Malaysia is not a party to the U.N. Refugee Convention and treats refugees as undocumented migrants.

Hlaing warned that several townships in Myanmar are experiencing unseasonably high temperatures, raising concerns over depleted groundwater and severe dry spells. Hlaing directed authorities to manage and conserve drinking and irrigation water, maximize reservoir storage, curb water loss, and establish public cooling shelters to mitigate El Niño-driven heat and drought risks.