KUALA LUMPUR, 27 Nov 2008: The government does not plan to change the current policy and provide political asylum, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung said Malaysia had never given political asylum to anyone as it was worried that it would be used as an excuse for foreigners to migrate to the country.
“If the government gives political asylum to refugees, the government is worried that it would be used by them get economic gains on political grounds.
“We have to take into account factors like giving them work, protection and lodging if we give them political asylum,” he said in reply to a question by Ahmad Lai Bujang (Barisan Nasional-Sibuti).
Ahmad Lai wanted to know the number of refugees in the country who had been given political asylum and the amount of money spent to house them in detention camps. — Bernama
