Post date: Aug 08, 2011 10:36:35 AM
PORT DICKSON, SEMBILAN STATE, MALAYSIA (AUGUST 8, 2011) REUTERS- In Malaysia, transit centres on Monday (August 8) for asylum seekers were fully facilitated and ready to accommodate transferees.
The transit centers situated in the coastal town of Port Dickson, about 100 kilometers away from the capital city, is where the Malaysia government are due to hold the asylum seekers for 45 days for processing and checks before move them into the community.
But Australia's highest court on Monday extended an injunction stopping the deportation of asylum seekers to Malaysia, leaving Prime Minister Julia Gillard's new border security policy in limbo until late August or September when a final ruling is expected.
Gillard has signed a refugee-swap deal with Malaysia in order to overturn public perceptions her government is soft on the hot-button issue of asylum seekers.
Lawyers representing a group of boat people, who were to be the first to be deported under the deal, argued in the High Court of Australia that the government did not have the legal power to send the asylum seekers to Malaysia.
Under the deal, Australia is due to send 800 asylum seekers who arrive by boat to Malaysia to have their refugee claims processed.
The Australian government said the scheme is aimed at breaking the business model of people-smugglers who run the often ramshackle boats, which mainly leave from Indonesia.
In return, Australia will accept 4,800 people from Malaysia who have been granted refugee status.
The government had wanted to send the first 16 men to Malaysia on Monday.
They were from a refugee boat which arrived late last week with 54 people on board, including 19 children, with 14 of those children unaccompanied by an adult.