10,901 THAI, INDONESIAN DETAINEES REPATRIATED THIS YEAR

BUKIT KAYU HITAM (Kedah, Malaysia), May 27 (Bernama) -- Immigration
detainees numbering 10,901 from Thailand and Indonesia have been repatriated to their respective countries since January this year until Tuesday this week through an amnesty programme for those involved in minor crimes.

Home Ministry deputy secretary-general Raja Azahar Raja Abdul Manap said most of those repatriated were from Indonesia.

"There are still about 4,500 detainees at 13 detention depots in the country, with 600 of them from Myanmar," he said after a repatriation exercise for Thai illegals, here, Thursday.

"We have problems with regard to Myanmar detainees as their government does not want to issue travel documents so that they can be sent back after being interviewed."

Raja Azahar said there were detainees who had been at the depots for up to a year while the actual duration allowed was three months.

"Within three months we have to complete all matters, namely detention, prosecution (if there is), release and repatriation, but many of them have been under detention for more than three months.

"The longer they are at the detention depots, the bigger will be the financial loss for the government."

He said the government also had problems repatriating Immigration detainees from countries far away like Nigeria as they should not be in transit. Hence, this effort requires full cooperation from the governments of these countries.

Thursday, the Immigration Department repatriated 64 Thai illegals to their country under an amnesty programme in conjunction with the birthday of Queen Sirikit.

This is an annual programme by the department, with 710 Thai illegals repatriated in 2009 and 2010.
-- BERNAMA