Arakan News Agency
Two Malaysian states have rejected the federal government’s request to provide shelter for migrants, hindering plans to accommodate Muslim Rohingya arriving in the country after being stranded in the Andaman Sea.
A source from the prime minister’s office who wished to remain unnamed as he was not authorized to speak with media said the northern states of Penang and Kedah both objected Sunday to hosting the migrants for one year.
Since early May, thousands of Rohingya – who have fled Myanmar in droves since 2012 – and Bangladeshis have been stranded with little access to food or water after Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand declared they would not allow migrant boats to land on their shores.
Last week, Indonesia and Malaysia agreed to offer temporary shelter to Rohingya migrants – but only if the international community agrees to then resettle them after one year. Both countries, however, said Bangladeshis from stranded boats would be returned to their country.
Kedah’s chief minister Mukhriz Mahathir sent a protest note to Prime Minister Najib Razak on Sunday, claiming the state has no space to accommodate the refugees.
“The protest note is expected to list the Malaysian police and Immigration Department’s capability constraints to deal with the influx of illegal immigrants in the thousands,” the source told Anadolu Agency.
