Malaysia will waste no time in repatriating about 1,000 Bangladeshi illegal immigrants who came ashore in Langkawi on May 11.
Home Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said this would be implemented upon completion of the documentation of the refugees.
He said 400 Rohingya refugees who also landed, together with the Bangladeshi illegals would be handed over to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
“We will send the illegal Bangladeshis back to their country immediately after the documentation process is completed.
“The 400 Rohingya refugees will be sent to the UNHCR as it is their (UNHCR) responsibility, including sending the refugees to Third Countries,” he said when met at the Parliament lobby here today.
Recently, it was reported that 1,400 Bangladeshis and Rohingya, including women and children, arrived in a boat at Langkawi.
Wan Junaidi described the issue of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar as a serious problem which must be dealt with, by the government of that country and it was not under the jurisdiction of Malaysia or ASEAN.
He said Malaysia was unwilling to allow the presence of illegals to burden its Malaysia.
“We are facing the problem of an influx of millions of illegals in the employment sector. This has resulted in the local society facing employment and social problems, and diseases brought by the illegals.
“I am giving a clear signal that illegals are not welcome to this country and the Rohingya refugee problem is Myanmar’s problem,” he said.
— Bernama
