Malaysia Returns Boat with Hundreds of Refugees

The Malaysian government says it has turned away a boat with over 500 refugees, reportedly Muslims from Myanmar and Bangladesh, after providing them with fuel and other necessities. This boat was found on May 12 near the northern state of Penang. Just two days prior, Malaysian police had detained over a thousand Rohingya refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh after rescuers saved them from the sea. Wan Junaidi Jaafar, the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs of Malaysia, stated that the country does not have the capacity to handle an influx of refugees to its shores. He told the Associated Press, 'What do you expect from us? We have been kind to those who have entered our borders. We have treated them humanely. But they cannot just flood our shores like this.' He added that the Malaysian government is sending a 'direct message' that it is 'not welcoming them.' In southern Malaysia, Indonesia has also recently turned back a boat of refugees, but officials there denied that Jakarta has adopted a 'pushback' policy, claiming the boat had 'accidentally' entered its waters. The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs of Malaysia said Southeast Asian countries need to take more action to pressure the Myanmar government regarding the crisis involving its Rohingya population. The Rohingya minority in Myanmar is generally deprived of equal citizenship rights in the country. Violent clashes between the Buddhist majority and Muslim Rohingyas have occurred, drawing international reactions. These conflicts have left thousands displaced in Rakhine State, which is the main settlement area for Rohingyas. In this context, Malaysia rescued and detained a thousand illegal migrants.