Malaysia aims for alternate refugee-swapping deals

PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia will go ahead with its refugee-swapping programme with other countries after the deal with Australia failed to materialise.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said this was necessary to counter human trafficking that had become a major problem.

'Malaysia will proceed with other countries on the programme because the method we have now with the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) is not working,' Mr Hishammuddin said during a visit to the Youth and Sports Ministry's Intelligent Marksmanship Training Simulation System in Bukit Kiara near here yesterday.

He said Malaysia was prepared to work on the swap programme with any country that was a source, transit or destination of asylum seekers and refugees.