Shipwreck migrants face charges in Malaysian court

KUALA LUMPUR - Eleven survivors of a deadly boat capsize two weeks ago appeared in a Malaysian court on Nov 19, charged with illegally being in the South-east Asian country, officials said.

The accused – nine Myanmar nationals and two Bangladeshi citizens – were among 14 people rescued after the Nov 6 shipwreck off a Thai island near the Malaysian maritime border.

They are said to be from a group of around 70 undocumented migrants, mostly from Myanmar’s persecuted Rohingya community, who were trying to reach Malaysia when their vessel overturned.

A charge sheet seen by AFP said the group, aged between 17 and 43, was accused of entering the country around the Malaysian island resort of Langkawi without valid passes.

Langkawi police chief Khairul Azhar Nuruddin told AFP the charges were read in court “but they (the suspects) did not understand”.

The case was postponed to Dec 21 in order for interpreters to be arranged, Mr Khairul said.

If convicted, offenders faced a fine of up to US$2,400 (S$3,128) or five years’ imprisonment, or both, and up to six strokes of the cane.

At least 36 people died in the sinking with the rescue authorities calling off a search for survivors on Nov 17.

Relatively affluent Malaysia is home to millions of migrants from poorer parts of Asia, many of them undocumented, working in industries including construction and agriculture.

But sea crossings, facilitated by human trafficking syndicates, are hazardous and often lead to overloaded boats capsizing. AFP