Malaysia has become home to people of the Chin ethnic group who have fled violence in Myanmar. But they stand to lose their UN-designated refugee status a year from now. As Rian Maelzer reports from Kuala Lumpur, they fear that without the protection of the UN's refugee agency, Malaysian authorities will soon just see them as illegal immigrants.

At a community-run school in Kuala Lumpur, Chin children study in English, hoping one day to be resettled somewhere such as the US, Canada or Australia. In Malaysia, which hasn't signed the UN's refugee convention, the 28,000 Chin refugees and asylum seekers live in limbo, unable to work legally. And the UNHCR says that by the end of 2019, it will no longer consider the community as refugees.

RICHARD TOWLE UNHCR COUNTRY REPRESENTATIVE, MALAYSIA "That decision and assessment is based on the evolving and broadly positive conditions in Myanmar in Chin state for the Chin people. The communities need to understand that refugee protection is not forever, was never intended that way."

The Chin say their home state isn't safe to return to.

MUNG KHAT ALLIANCE OF CHIN REFUGEES "There is still civil war, conflict and even the so-called peace conference is not smooth enough and there is no power sharing from the military so we cannot say the Chin state is safe."

UNHCR says the Chin's options are to return to Myanmar, the shrinking hope of resettlement to a third country or integration in Malaysia.

RIAN MAELZER KUALA LUMPUR "Before its shock election victory in May, Malaysia's ruling alliance pledged to allow refugee-card holders to work legally, but it hasn't yet acted on that promise."

Unless that changes, in a year's time, almost all Chin here will be viewed like any other undocumented migrants subject to detention and deportation.

MUNG KHAT ALLIANCE OF CHIN REFUGEES "We the refugees are constantly stressful life here in Malaysia so this is a shock news so even we had three suicide cases recently."

RICHARD TOWLE UNHCR COUNTRY REPRESENTATIVE, MALAYSIA "We will continue to pay very close attention to their welfare and their wellbeing. We are concerned about families and children and making sure that they are not at risk."

UNHCR says it will urge Malaysia to allow the Chin to integrate into the local workforce and society, though the Chin here aren't counting on it. Rian Maelzer, CGTN, Kuala Lumpur.