Media statement by Liew Chin Tong in George Town, Penang on Monday, 9^th May 2011:

Malaysia is not Australia's backyard and shouldn't behave like one

I am appalled by the deal brokered between the Malaysian and Australian governments over the weekend to send asylum seekers who entered Australia illegally by sea to Malaysia.

By serving as Australia's refugee outpost, Malaysia is allowing itself to be the backyard of Australia by doing what island-state Nauru has been doing in the past decade and what East Timor has refused to do.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard mooted the idea of setting up a regional detention centre in East Timor during the 2010 Australian election but the offer was snubbed by the latter. The Australian government is now in talks with Papua New Guinea to set up a similar establishment. Conveniently, all these countries (including Malaysia) are not signatories to the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, while Australia is.

It is disappointing that Malaysia which used to pride itself as a regional opinion leader and a leader in the Muslim world is entering into such inhumane deal for monetary rewards of about RM1 billion.

In so doing the Malaysian government is assisting the Australian government to continue to treat refugees as tradable goods - fuelled by xenophobia. This is a blatant denial of their basic human rights and the principles enshrined in the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, of which Australia is a signatory.

This latest move follows the recent investment by Australian firm Lynas in radioactive rare earth in Kuantan.

It would be disheartening if the only result of improved relationship between the Malaysian and Australian governments is for Malaysia to serve as Australia's outpost, backyard and dumpsite to handle issues of grave human rights importance in a questionable manner.

I call on Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak to rescind the deal and handle Malaysia-Australian relations on the basis of equal partnership and dignity.

* Liew Chin Tong, DAP International Secretary & MP for Bukit Bendera