We will extradite, prosecute Rohingya death camp mastermind, Home Minister says
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| Home Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi said once Yassin is brought to Malaysia, authorities here will move to prosecute him. |
By Mayuri Mei Lin
June 21, 2015
KUALA LUMPUR — Local authorities have already started the process of extraditing “Yassin”, the man believed to be responsible for the abandoned Rohingya death camps discovered recently in Wang Kelian, Perlis.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi said once “Yassin” is brought to Malaysia, authorities here will move to prosecute the man, who is currently in the custody of Thai officials.
“(The extradition) process has already started.
“We are working on getting an extradition and we will then prosecute when the individual named Yassin is brought over,” Ahmad Zahid said during a buka puasa event with a local orphanage.
Singapore news broadcaster Channel News Asia reported on Monday that Thai police had arrested several individuals believed to be the brains behind the human trafficking syndicate, at least one of whom will be handed over to Malaysian authorities.
“We are thankful to Thailand for not just giving cooperation but also for arresting a few of our suspects, including Yassin,” Zahid was quoted as saying.
Local news portal the Malaysian Insider also reported on Monday that another camp was found on Malaysian soil, some 100m from the Thai border at Hutan Simpan Mata Aye in Perlis, which Zahid claimed were merely temporary camps.
Malay daily Utusan reported, however, that those camps, which could accommodate 300 people, were more proper for having access to clean water and electricity, as well as facilities such as a surau, kitchen and clinic.
Malaysia is one of the main destinations for ethnic Rohingya fleeing oppression and violence in Myanmar, with more fleeing their state-sanctioned persecution in search of a better land.
Over 1,000 Bangladeshi migrants and Rohingya refugees landed in Langkawi on May 10 and were subsequently sent to the Belantik detention centre in Kedah.
After two weeks of turning away boats filled with thousands of refugees, Malaysia and Indonesia finally relented on May 20, agreeing to take in some 7,000 refugees on condition that they be repatriated within a year.
