Sarawak shuts border over Indonesian racial unrest<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (DPA): Malaysia's Sarawak state on Borneo island
\nhas shut all its border crossing posts with Indonesia following
\nmounting racial tension in several Indonesian towns.<\/p>\n
The national news agency, Bernama, said yesterday the closure
\norder on all 12 border posts along Sarawak's southern border with
\nIndonesia's Kalimantan province was issued by the state security
\ncouncil on Sunday.<\/p>\n
It said the order follows news reports of racial unrest in
\nwest Kalimantan where a mob of 5,000 indigenous Dayak tribesmen
\nburnt and looted homes and shops belonging to settlers from the
\nIndonesian island of Madura. Most Sarawakians are of Dayak
\nancestry.<\/p>\n
The border closure hit scores of Indonesian travelers who had
\ncrossed into Sarawak to shop for goods in preparation for a major
\nMoslem festival later this week.<\/p>\n
Malaysians who had traveled to the Indonesian town of
\nPontianak, a 10-hour journey, are also reportedly stranded as bus
\ncompanies suspended their tours into Indonesia last Friday.<\/p>\n
Bernama quoted an Immigration Department official as saying
\nthe border crossings will remain shut until notified by the
\nsecurity council.<\/p>\n
Extra policemen were seen deployed at the crossings to guard
\nagainst any \"spill-over\" of the unrest, while civil servants
\nliving along the border posts were told to send their families
\naway for the time being.<\/p>\n
News reports said several Indonesian towns, including
\nPontianak, have been hit by racial and religious unrest in recent
\ndays.<\/p>\n
Multiracial Malaysia is sensitive about any form of racial or
\nreligious dissent after hundreds of people were killed during
\nriots between Malays and Chinese in 1969.<\/p>",
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