Government still identifying nationality of refugees at Belantik depot

PETALING JAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government is still in the process of identifying the nationality of the refugees at the Belantik detention depot in Sik, Kedah.
He said it would determine whether they are Rohingyas or Bangladeshi nationals who are victims of human trafficking.
"We are still checking whether they are really Rohingyas or Bangladeshis because there are no documents being issued to them by either the Bangladeshi or the Myanmar government," he told reporters after welcoming the arrival of the second group of Syrian migrants here, today.
Ahmad Zahid told this to reporters when asked on an Amnesty International report today on the conditions of 'boat people' that are still been detained at the detention depot.
Some 1,158 Bangladeshis and Rohingya refugees, including children and women who were landed by boats in the water off Langkawi on May 10 last year was detained at the detention depot.
He said the government would also cooperate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in helping the refugees.
"We would like to work and see whether they can be issued with UNHCR cards," he added. — Bernama