According to Makhzan Mahyuddin, Deputy Secretary-General of Malaysia's Ministry of Home Affairs, the group comprised 1,370 adult men, 79 women, 20 teenage boys, and seven young girls aged between six and eight. Selected across 14 refugee shelters in Malaysia, the refugees were transferred under heavy security to a stadium near the Lumut base to finalize formalities before boarding. This deportation represents the initial tranche of a 5,000-person repatriation agreement negotiated in July between Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Myanmar authorities. Malaysian officials stated that the return was entirely voluntary and supported by Myanmar security guarantees. However, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) distanced itself from the operation, warning that active armed conflicts between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army across Rakhine State preclude conditions for safe, dignified, and sustainable repatriation.