Malaysia orders Aceh refugees out

Malaysia says the situation in Aceh has improved, so the refugees can return

Malaysia has told more than 25,000 Indonesian tsunami refugees to leave by early January or face deportation.

The refugees, from Aceh province, have been allowed to work in Malaysia since their homes were destroyed by the Asian tsunami in December 2004.

The tsunami killed more than 200,000 people from several countries.

Aceh, in the north of the island of Sumatra, suffered some of the worst devastation, with entire towns being wiped out.

The Malaysian authorities have allowed the refugees to work in Malaysia for four years without paying any taxes, so they could earn money to rebuild their homes.

But they say conditions have now improved in Aceh and it is time for people to go home.

Malaysian officials say any refugees who stay on illegally after the deadline will be fined, deported and banned from re-entering the country.

Most of the Acehnese workers in Malaysia have been doing low-paid jobs on construction sites and plantations or in factories.

But the authorities in Kuala Lumpur are worried that the country is too reliant on migrant workers, leading to unemployment and crime among Malaysians.

They have taken a series of measures to tackle the problem, including campaigns to expel illegal immigrants and encourage local people to train for some of the jobs traditionally done by foreigners.

Malaysia says it does not want to strain diplomatic ties, but the treatment of Indonesians working there has caused tensions in the past.