MALAYSIAN MARINE POLICE DETAIN 26 MYANMARESE NEAR SMALL ISLAND

PORT KLANG (Malaysia), Jan 18 (Bernama) -- Marine Police in Selangor
detained 26 illegal Myanmar nationals, believed to be seeking political asylum,
off the Bagan Hailam waters near Pulau Ketam, Port Klang Saturday afternoon.

Pulau Ketam, literally translated, means "Crab Island". It is a small island
located off the coast of Port Klang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Port Klang Commanding officer DSP Norzaid Muhammad Said said all of them
were found in a passenger ferry that was on its way from Sungai Lima, Pulau
Ketam to Port Klang at about 6.30pm.

Norzaid said 21 of them were holding United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) cards issued by a neigbouring country, while the remaining five
had no valid travel documents.

"Since the UNHCR card was issued by another country and not Malaysia, they
cannot seek political asylum as provided for by the law. We have received
information that the 26 had been earlier detained by the authorities in a
neighbouring country but were siphoned out by a syndicate which used speed
boats," he told reporters at his office here Sunday.

Norzaid said upon arrival from their original destination, the Myanmarese,
aged between 17 and 56, had stayed in Pulau Ketam for two days before continuing
their journey.

--BERNAMA