PUTRAJAYA’S decision to turn away boats carrying Rohingya refugees was the right decision, said senior minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He denied that the government was being cruel, as food had been given to the refugees before the boats were pushed away.

“We sent the Rohingya back but we were not being cruel. We gave them food.

“The only thing is we didn’t allow them into the country,” said the defence minister and National Security Council spokesman at the daily briefing on Covid-19 security matters.

Last month, Malaysia denied entry to a boat carrying about 200 Rohingya refugees due to coronavirus fears.

The move was condemned by human rights groups and civil society.

On undocumented migrants who have been detained from areas under enhanced movement control order (EMCO), Ismail Sabri said they would be charged in court before being deported.

“They will have to face the law and once the conditional movement control order it is over we will send them home.

“We will communicate with their respective embassies.”

Putrajaya has also come under fire for the raids on areas under EMCO to bring in undocumented migrants.

At the start of the MCO in March, the government assured migrants that no legal action would be taken so as to encourage them to come forward for Covid-19 testing.

The government has been criticised for not following this directive. – May 17, 2020.