KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 -- It is time for us to discuss the changing landscape surrounding refugee rights and protection worldwide and Malaysia's potential to be a leading nation in this landscape. Earlier this year, the UN Refugee Agency proclaimed that severe funding cuts at the agency are putting refugees at increased risk for harm and danger.

The United States, previously a beacon of hope for refugees worldwide, has suspended its Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) under President Donald Trump's second reign, which began in January of this year. This programme - the largest refugee resettlement programme in the world - was the main funnel through which refugees in Malaysia could gain permanent resettlement. This leaves us with the quest...