Malaysia detains over 100 Rohingyas

KUALA LUMPUR:

Malaysian authorities detained more than 100 Rohingya Muslim asylum seekers on Monday who had gathered outside the UN refugee agency in Kuala Lumpur, saying they were seeking protection after being evicted from their homes.

All of the refugees outside the UNHCR were taken away with their belongings in four police trucks at around 8:30 p.m. (1230 GMT), according to Reuters witnesses at the scene.

A police official, who declined to be identified, said they were being taken to police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur for further checks.

The refugees, who included women and children, said they were driven out of their homes by local residents in the northern state of Penang on Sunday and had traveled to the Malaysian capital on buses overnight to seek assistance on resettlement from the UNHCR.

Penang police said the Rohingya "voluntarily moved" to Kuala Lumpur with the assistance of state and federal authorities, including the national security council.