Warning on wave of boat people
Tom Allard in Kuala Lumpur and Yuko Narushima
June 30, 2009INDONESIAN authorities are bracing for a huge influx of boat people, anticipating as many as 10,000 asylum-seekers are waiting in Malaysia to transit through the archipelago and on to Australia.
This estimate was backed by a Malaysian group that deals with unauthorised immigrants. An Australian Government source warned of the potential for a similar influx to the thousands who began arriving in Australia from the late 1990s.
About 1500 asylum-seekers have arrived in Indonesia this year and registered for refugee status, almost all travelling by boat from Malaysia. Another 1500 are believed to have arrived and have not registered.
Indonesian police intelligence suggests between 7000 and 10,000 more people are waiting in Malaysia to make the journey once their passage is organised by people-smugglers.
"It could be 10,000," said senior commissioner Eko Danianto, head of the people smuggling unit at the Indonesian National Police.
Look what 'Cool Kevin' says here........ another porky perhaps?