Our work in Malaysia
The ICRC’s earliest activities in Malaysia were at the end of the Second World War, when we carried out visits to Japanese prisoners of war in Central Malaya. Since opening our Kuala Lumpur office in 1973, we have been working in various capacities with the Malaysian authorities and other parties to promote detainee well-being and respect for international humanitarian law (IHL) and to support the humanitarian operations of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS), our local partner in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
Today, our activities focus mainly on promoting IHL and, together with the MRCS, reuniting families separated by migration or armed conflict as part of the Restoring Family Links programme. We also engage with local parties to gain support for our and the Movement’s work, both here and globally.
ICRC offices supporting the region: Our work in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei is supported by our regional delegation in Bangkok.
Singapore:
The ICRC has worked for decades with strategic partners and allies in Singapore to strengthen our humanitarian mission and mandate.
Singapore’s geostrategic influence, reputation as a regional knowledge hub and role as a convener of bilateral and multilateral engagements make it an important contributor to the ICRC’s humanitarian mandate and mission. Via our delegate stationed in Singapore after the Second World War and, from 1973, our regional delegation based in Kuala Lumpur, we have established strong networks and partnerships through dialogue and diplomatic engagement with various branches of the Singapore government, its knowledge institutions and the Singapore Red Cross Society. This helps us promote respect and support for IHL and for our operations in the region and abroad.
Brunei:
The ICRC has worked for decades with key parties in Brunei to strengthen and promote global respect for IHL.
Our aim in Brunei is to carry out our mission and mandate as enshrined in the Geneva Conventions of 1949, in particular by supporting efforts to ensure respect for IHL and integrate it into domestic law in peacetime. To this end, we have long-standing programmes with the Brunei armed forces on IHL promotion and awareness-raising; close cooperation with the Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society; and engagements with the Brunei national authorities and other entities, including in academia and civil society
