KL says 33 nabbed Filipinos not refugees

KL says 33 nabbed Filipinos not refugees

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Thirty-three Filipinos detained while entering Malaysian waters last week were not refugees fleeing fighting in the southern Philippines, a news report said Sunday. The Filipinos were detained by the Royal Malaysian Navy and handed over to the police.

Director of Internal Security and Public Order Abdul Hamid Mustapha said they were illegal immigrants and had nothing to do with the fighting between government troops and rebels in the southern Philippines, the national news agency Bernama said.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has said that Filipinos fleeing fighting between the military and the Abu Sayyaf Muslim rebels would be treated as war refugees.