MALAYSIA’S prime minister has called for Myanmar’s Muslim boat people to be pushed back if they attempt to land on any Southeast Asian shores in search of asylum, The Bangkok Post said on Friday.
Turn back migrants: M’sia PM
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi also took swipes at Myanmar and Thailand on the issue of the Rohingya refugees, which has escalated into a major problem for the region and one of concern internationally.
Thousands of the stateless Rohingya have fled Myanmar as well as refugee camps in Bangladesh in recent years, but their plight was only highlighted recently when hundreds were believed to have drowned after being pushed out to sea by the Thai military.
Mr Badawi was scheduled to arrive at this beach-side resort on Friday for the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a 10-nation bloc with includes Myanmar. The Rohingya issue is expected to be discussed on the sidelines of the three-day conference but is not part of the official agenda.
Thailand has called for a special regional conference on the refugees, who often attempt to land in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. continue
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