Fleeing Filipinos to be treated as war refugees
SHAH ALAM, Sept 21 (Bernama) --
Filipinos fleeing to Malaysia to escape attacks by Philippine military forces in the
southern part of that country will be treated as war refugees, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir
Mohamad said Thursday.
"If they come, we will treat them like we treated the Vietnamese (refugees)
previously," the prime minister said.
Dr Mahathir said: "We can no longer accept them as illegal immigrants but as war
refugees to be put in a special place," he said.
He said they would not be allowed to leave the place except if they were willing to return
home.
Dr Mahathir told reporters this when asked about the government's policies in facing the
possibility of Malaysia receiving an influx of residents from the southern Philippines
fleeing from attacks by Philippine troops on rebel strongholds in that area.
The Philippine military launched the attacks on the rebel strongholds last Saturday in
efforts to free 17 people, including three Malaysians, who were reported to be held
captive in Jolo Island in the southern Philippines.
However, since the attacks, the Philippine government had imposed a news blackout on the
media reporting on developments in the southern Philippines.
The Malaysian Armed Forces and the Royal Malaysia Police have stationed their personnel on
several islands in Sabah to ensure that the rebels did not enter Malaysian waters to seek
refuge.
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