PETALING JAYA (Oct 14, 2011): Malaysia can still proceed to send 4,000 refugees to be processed in Australia despite the country's decision to abandon the refugee swap deal, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussien yesterday.
In a tweeted response to theSun last night, Hishammuddin, through his official Twitter handle @HishammuddinH20 said: "Malaysia no impact as they are still willing to accept 4,000 refugees from us."
Hishammuddin also reiterated Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard's statement yesterday that the deal was scrapped because of her inability to get any Opposition MPs to support a change in migration laws which will allow for the swap deal to proceed.
Gillard reportedly said: "We are not in a position to implement the arrangement with Malaysia. It is apparent the legislation will not pass the parliament."
In his second tweet to theSunM, Hishammuddin added: "Bilateral cooperation (between) Australia and Malaysia to fight human trafficking syndicates (is) still very strong. The next working group meeting will be held next month."
The deal was signed between Hishammuddin and Austalia Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Bowen in July.
Under the deal, Malaysia was originally slated to receive 800 boat people for the purpose of processing by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
Australia, in return, will resettle 4,000 refugees who are already in Malaysia over the next four years, at an average rate of about 1,000 a year.
Earlier, Home Ministry statement said: “People trafficking is one of the hidden horrors of modern life. The arrangement between our governments would have tackled it in a way that protected the interests of Australia, Malaysia and, above all, the migrants involved."
Malaysia will continue working closely with Australia to find new and effective ways to deal with the 21st century threats of human trading, beginning at the annual working group on smuggling and trafficking, to be held in Sydney next month, said the statement.
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