GEORGE TOWN: A group of people, believed to be Rohingya, have been taken to a detention centre after they arrived by boat at the beach outside a luxury hotel in Langkawi today.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency said the migrants told local officials that four men who had apparently smuggled them out to sea had later absconded during the journey into Malaysian waters.
Kedah and Perlis MMEA operations deputy director Zulida Ramly said the migrants have now been brought to a detention centre while awaiting immigration authorities to process them for illegal entry.
She said there were 45 women and five children among the 202 people. “We have transported the migrants carefully, in accordance with Covid-19 protocols,” she said in a statement.