Australia wins support against migrants

Australia exerts a powerful appeal for many

By Frances Harrison in Kuala Lumpur

Australia and Malaysia have begun working together to stem an influx of illegal immigrants, mostly from Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran, into Australia.

Australia's immigration minister, Philip Ruddock, who is visiting Malaysia, said organised crime syndicates were using Kuala Lumpur as a transit point for human smuggling from the Middle East.

For a payment of $4,000-$5,000, Australian officials say a professional smuggler will arrange to take you through Malaysia to Australia.

In the past year, 4,000 such people have entered Australia illegally, 85% of them transitting through Malaysia to Indonesia, where they island-hop through the archipelago until they take small boats across the ocean to Australia.

Some never survive the dangerous journey and hundreds have been intercepted in Kuala Lumpur and deported before they could even attempt to travel to Australia.

Nationals of many countries don't need visas for short visits to Malaysia, and the country's long coastlines make it hard to patrol the waters with neighbouring Indonesia.

Resourceful

Mr Ruddock, who is touring the region to discuss joint cooperation on human smuggling, said Malaysia had been helpful in thwarting the smugglers by deporting people before they could enter Australia.

But the minister warned that though significant inroads were being made to curb the problem, it would not be easy to put a stop to such practices.

"The sort of people we are dealing with are very resourceful. They will change their tactics," he said.