Today, two boats carrying approximately 300 Rohingya refugees were turned back to sea by the Malaysian coast guard, according to reports. The individuals on board were exhausted and had little food or water.
The coast guard provided some food to the refugees, but they were not permitted to land. The boats were first spotted off the coast of Langkawi island yesterday, where a separate boat carrying 196 Rohingya refugees landed and those passengers were detained.
The origin and future destination of these Rohingya refugees remain unknown. The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority, have faced decades of discrimination and persecution in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar.
Many fled in 2017 due to violence from the Myanmar military, which has been accused of rape and murder. Around one million Rohingya have sought refuge in Bangladesh under dire conditions.
According to the UN, they are one of the most persecuted minorities globally. Malaysia, with its Muslim majority, has previously accepted Rohingya on humanitarian grounds but is now trying to limit the number of refugees.
Over 111,000 Rohingya reside in Malaysia.
Source: NOS