Rohingya refugees: MMEA monitors boats from Indonesia

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 -- The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) is monitoring all boats passing through the country’s waters from Indonesia to prevent the entry of illegal immigrants including Rohingya refugees to Malaysia.

MMEA director-general, Maritime Admiral Datuk Mohd Zubil Mat Som, said the migrant smuggling syndicates were believed to have been using fishing boats, small boats and barter trade boats to bring illegal immigrants into this country.

He said among the tactics used by the syndicates from Indonesia and Malaysia was to divide the illegal immigrants into small boats at the border areas before they were brought ashore.

“The Rohingya refugees often make this country as their final destination based on investigations into illegal immigrant smuggling cases in the northern part of the country early last year.

“We know they will continue their journey to Malaysia as their families are already here and they will find any way to enter this country,” he told Bernama today.

Mohd Zubil was commenting on news reports that hundreds of Rohingya refugees had been missing from Indonesia, believed to be smuggled into Malaysia.

He said tight border control at all entry points and rat trails had forced the illegal immigrants to divert their journey to Aceh, Indonesia as their transit location.

Mohd Zubil added the MMEA was always prepared to prevent illegal entries into the country by deploying assets, including the Malaysian Maritime Sea Surveillance System (Swasla), to strategic locations.

“The MMEA is cooperating with the armed forces, police and all assets under the National Task Force via Op Benteng to strictly prevent the entry of Rohingya refugees and illegal immigrants from other countries,” he said.

-- BERNAMA