Arakan News Agency
TELUK BAHANG – Residents around this area was shocked to see dozens of people in the Pantai Teluk Bahang, near here about 1am yesterday.
Local, Zakiyamani Yamani, 40, said he and his friends were going through the streets near the shore after returning from Batu Ferringhi.
“Suddenly we saw so many people on the beach. We have never seen that many people gathered on the beach at such a time.
“Not long afterward we knew apparently they are Rohingya refugees from Myanmar who had just arrived here,” he said.
According to him, to understand all the refugees were taken to the police station in the Pantai Teluk Bahang.
“It’s sad when you see some of them are infants, children, women and the elderly.
“We also had to buy them food and drink,” he said.
It is learned that arrests had been made in the end by Pantai Teluk Bahang policemen on duty.
Preliminary investigations confirmed that all refugees departed from Myanmar on 8 April and arrived in Malaysia early yesterday morning.
To enable all boating is concerned, they have to pay 100,000 Kyats the equivalent of about RM400 excluding children.
All of them are not fluent in Malay and so far no arrests skipper involvement or those who smuggle migrants.
Meanwhile, Southwest District Police Chief Superintendent Lai Fah Hin when contacted, confirmed the matter.
According to him, a total of 78 Rohingya refugees detained at 3am yesterday consisted of 34 men, 19 women, 15 girls and 10 boys.
“All of them are aged between two months and 68 years and is now in the lockup Police Headquarters (IPD) Balik Pulau.
“They were detained under Section 6 (1) (c) under the Immigration Act for not having travel documents and so far we will conduct a prior investigation,” he said.
source : sinarharian
