Police relocate 126 Rohingya refugees from outside UNHCR office after they set up tents; 58 adults among them
KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 126 Rohingya refugees were relocated from outside the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Jalan Bukit Petaling here after they set up tents and turned the area into a temporary settlement.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus said the area outside the UNHCR office is a sensitive location and cannot be used as a temporary settlement by any individual or community.
He said police, together with the Immigration Department here, relocated all the refugees to the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters to undergo screening and documentation.
“We will conduct the screening at a more suitable location. Those without documents will be detained, while those with documents will first have their status verified by the UNHCR.
“UNHCR, together with its support units and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), will identify suitable accommodation for those with valid documents because we cannot take action under the Immigration Act against holders of valid UNHCR cards,” he said in a statement today.
Fadil said 58 of the 126 Rohingya refugees relocated were adults.
He said all the refugees had cooperated fully throughout the operation and no incidents of obstruction against public officers were reported.
“We have also yet to verify claims regarding the arrival of two more buses believed to be carrying Rohingya refugees to the capital,” he said.
Earlier, Bernama reported that the relocation operation began at 8.20 pm using four police trucks after the two vehicles initially deployed proved insufficient as most of the refugees were carrying luggage and personal belongings.
Media had reported that the group arrived in the capital early today on three buses from Penang.
