Kuala Lampur, July 30 -- Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan's suggestion that Malaysia might reconsider UNHCR's presence over its "refusal to cooperate" is troubling and vague. What exactly does that mean? If there are concerns about registration, screening or information-sharing, those should be resolved through transparent negotiation, not threats against the agency mandated to protect refugees.

If the government wants better screening or more oversight, it should build that framework through negotiation. But a country that speaks about humanitarianism, champions the Palestinian cause, and claims a responsible seat in the international community can't treat refugees or the agency protecting them as an inconvenience when the numbers become ...