DHAKA: Malaysia has turned away two boats with up to 800 Rohingya Muslims, insisting that Myanmar must end its oppression of this minority group, reports the Straits Times.

With 1,158 refugees, mainly Rohingyas from Myanmar but some from Bangladesh as well, landing in Langkawi on Sunday and an estimated 6,000 more still drifting at sea, Malaysia insisted Thursday that the illegal migrants must be sent back home, as it stepped up patrols on its north-western coast.

"We need to send a very strong message to Myanmar that they need to treat their people with humanity. They... cannot be so oppressive," said Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

He also told Reuters that Myanmar "is not at war", so "if there is nothing wrong with the ship, they should sail back to their own country".

BDST: 1447 HRS, MAY 15, 2015
RS