RI detainees riot briefly in Sabah

RI detainees riot briefly in Sabah

MALAYSIA: Nearly 200 Filipino and Indonesian illegal immigrants staged a brief riot at a Malaysian detention camp on Tuesday, shattering windows and clambering over fences, police said.

The detainees were upset because they have been held for several months at the detention center in eastern Sabah state on Borneo island following a delay in plans to deport them, said Wong Chong Fui, the deputy police chief of Sabah's capital, Kota Kinabalu.

Officials restored order after 15 minutes, when the men agreed to return to their compound, Wong said. There were no immediate reports of any serious injuries, he added.

About 40 police officers were sent to the camp to curb further disturbances, Wong said.

Sabah has an extensive land border with Indonesia's Kalimantan province, and is separated from the southern Philippines by a short boat ride. Illegal immigrants often cross the border to seek work in Malaysia, which is wealthier and more stable than its neighbors. -- AP