Unrest in RI, RP prompts Malaysia to increase patrol

Unrest in RI, RP prompts Malaysia to increase patrol

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Patrols have been increased along
Malaysia's borders with Indonesia and the Philippines to catch
refugees who may try to flee political upheaval in those
countries, a newspaper reported on Thursday.

Malaysian deputy Defense Minister Mohamad Shafie Apdal said
military forces along the coast and in border areas had been
placed on alert in response to unrest in the two neighboring
countries, The Star newspaper said.

"We are monitoring the situation closely and taking
appropriate action to counter the possible influx of people
running away from political troubles at home," the Star quoted
Shafie as saying.

Mainland Malaysia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra are
separated by the narrow Malacca Strait, while the countries share
a land border on Borneo island. The southern Philippines and the
Malaysian province of Sabah share a border in the Sulu and
Celebes Seas.

Mass protests have turned to brawls in recent days in the
Indonesian capital of Jakarta as President Abdurrahman Wahid
tries to stave off possible impeachment over two corruption
scandals.

Malaysia's No. 2 leader expressed concern on Thursday at the
unrest, though he did not mention the stepped-up border patrols.

"We are worried with what is happening in Indonesia, and if
these developments lead to a terrible situation for that
country's people, this will also have an impact on us," Deputy
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was quoted as saying by the
national news agency, Bernama.

The Philippines is also in turmoil following mass protests
which led to scandal-tainted President Joseph Estrada's
replacement by a military-backed government.

Shafie was cited by the Star as saying that political turmoil
in Indonesia in 1998 had not resulted in an increase of illegal
refugees, but that Malaysia must be vigilant in protecting its
borders.

Illegal immigration to Malaysia, one of Southeast Asia's
wealthiest countries, has surged since the 1997-98 Asian economic
crisis, which hurt Malaysia but affected its poorer neighbors
even more.

Illegal immigrants from Indonesia regularly enter Malaysia
seeking work on palm oil plantations.

Muslim rebels from the southern Philippines sneaked into
Malaysian waters twice last year and abducted resort island
workers and foreign tourists who were held hostage for months
before being released for ransom payments.

More than 60,000 illegal workers were deported from Malaysia
in 1999 and another 97,251 were sent back last year. The
Immigration Department expects deportation figures to surpass
100,000 this year.