Cops nab 30 more illegals who jumped off boat

Myanmar people of Rohingya ethnicity who are living in Malaysia,
display placards during a rally (Photo - Reuters)

G.C. TAN

The Star Online

January 1, 2012

LANGKAWI: Another 30 illegal immigrants have been rounded up, bringing the total of detained Myanmar nationals, who attempted a mass entry into Malaysia, to 481.

The 30, including their boat's captain, were nabbed within 500m of the spot where most of them landed in Burau Bay here.

Police believe there were still more than 10 people from the group in hiding.

In the attempt at about 1.30pm on Sunday, about 500 Myanmar nationals, some as young as seven, were forced to jump off a boat and swim 500m to shore.

One was found dead and two others were very weak and were rushed to hospital. Police found 449 others stranded on the beach, worn out from the tiring swim.

Most of those rounded up were men. There were 13 women, seven boys and three girls.

A girl from the group was also sent to hospital but all three were later discharged.

Late on Sunday evening, 14 more were caught. Another eight were nabbed yesterday morning while the captain and seven other men were detained at Kuala Teriang about 4pm yesterday.

Together with the eight arrested yesterday morning, they were all handed over to the Langkawi Immigration Department and left Langkawi for the immigration detention camps or depots nationwide by 11am yesterday.

The body of the Myanmar, who was killed after he was hit by the boat's propellers when he jumped into sea, was buried at a Muslim cemetery in Langkawi yesterday.

According to a witness at the scene, the immigrants jumped from a 30m wooden boat.

“One of the Myanmar nationals said they had sailed from Myanmar for 12 days after paying the agent US$300 (RM900) per person.

“The agent did not tell them where they were heading. They were ordered to jump into the sea when the boat was near the shore. They starved for five days,” said the witness.

Resort worker Azizan Ramli said some of the survivors approached him for water, adding: “They even drank from the plant pots.”