1,466 Bangladeshis in Malaysia detention centres

Out of 13,321 immigrants in 12 detention camps, 1, 466 are from Bangladesh, reports the Star’s Bahasa Malaysia portal MStar.

“The others include Indonesians (1,715), Myanmar (6,936), Vietnam (681), Nepal (493), Pakistan (403), India (351), Thailand(331), Philippines (311) and Cambodia (177),” said Immigration Department’s enforcement director, Zahari Abdul Aziz Zahari.

Of the 6,936 Myanmar detainees, 4,531 were Rohingyas.

On Monday, total 1,158 illegal immigrants landed on our shores in Langkawi. Of that number, 672 were Bangladesh nationals while 486 were Myanmmar nationals.

The group had allegedly travelled here with the help of a syndicate from their home countries.

Zahari said the department has its own strategy to keep things under control and avoid conflict between the Buddhist Myanmmar nationals and the Muslim Rohingya and there had been no conflict between the two groups despite being placed together in the detention depot.

“Things here are under control although we often hear of the two groups being caught in clashes outside,

“Our key technique is to approach them with discretion,” he said.

Zahari added that the immigrants in detention were not treated like criminals.

“During Ramadhan for example, we place the Buddhist and the Muslim nationals in separate rooms in respect of those who are fasting,” he said,