KUALA LUMPUR: The government will leave the process of awarding refugee status to the Rohingya stranded in Langkawi waters with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Home deputy minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said it is up to UNHCR to issue refugee status to the 400 Rohingyas from Myanmar who landed in Malaysia ten days ago.
"We have an agreement with UNHCR to send refugees to developing countries," he said when asked about UNCHR's statement two days ago stating that only 400 out of the 1,000 boat people that arrived in Malaysia were belonging to the Rohingya community.
He said the remaining 700 was identified by the body as Bangladeshis would be deported as soon their travel documents were completed.
He however did not give details of the process but would be keeping in touch with UNHCR on the matter.
"We will send the Bangladeshis back," he added.
He said although the government sympathised with the plight of the Rohingya who had landed in the country's shores, it was the responsibility of the Myanmar government to resolve the matter.
The Malaysian government, he said, could not simply accept all of them as it would incur cost and could also pose social and health problems in the country.
"We already have many immigrants in this country, both legal and illegal, who have come here looking to build their lives. We are working hard to ensure that they do not be a burden to both Malaysians and the government," he said when met at the Parliament lobby earlier.