Malaysia stops tanker heading to Australia

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has backed the importance of strong borders as more than 130 Sri Lankans have been intercepted by Malaysian police.

This May 5 photo, released by the Royal Malaysian Police shows suspected illegal migrants on a rusty tanker near Kota Tinggi in Johor state, Malaysia. Malaysian police have intercepted a tanker with 131 Sri Lankans believed bound for Australia and New Zealand, smashing a large human smuggling ring that has been operating for over a year.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says any move by Bill Shorten to soften Labor’s support for Operation Sovereign borders would “play into the hands of the people smugglers” after Malaysian authorities smashed a people smuggling ring.

Reports indicated that more than 130 Sri Lankans planning on heading for Australia and New Zealand had been intercepted by Malaysia police. The immigrants included 98 men, 24 women, four boys and five girls. Police also raided a fishing boat used to transport the migrants to the vessel and detained three Indonesians and four Malaysians on board. Another five Malaysians were nabbed for suspected involving in the smuggling syndicate.

In response Mr Dutton said “it is clear the threat from criminal people smuggling syndicates remains and so must our efforts to maintain our border security”.

The rusty vessel was intercepted by Malaysian police.

“The need for Operation Sovereign Borders is as vital today as it was when it began unfortunately Labor’s support for tough border policies is ebbing away,” Mr Dutton said.

“It is incumbent on Bill Shorten and his spokesman Shayne Neumann to publicly state their support for all OSB measures — failure to do so plays into the hands of the people smugglers.”

The Australian previously revealed Mr Shorten faces a damaging pre-election brawl over border protection, with the party’s draft national platform proposing to overhaul the government’s Home Affairs portfolio and shift asylum seekers out of mandatory detention after 90 days.

In response to Mr Dutton’s comments, Mr Neumann, the shadow Immigration and Border Protection minister, accused him of “helping the people smugglers” and claimed Labor would “never let the people smugglers back in business”.

“By playing petty politics, Peter Dutton is encouraging the people smugglers to restart their vile trade. He should know better,” Mr Neumann said.

“Labor’s policy on asylum seekers is clear — we will never let the people smugglers back in business.

“Labor believes in strong borders, offshore processing, regional resettlement and turnbacks when safe to do so because we know it saves lives at seas.”

A total of 127 Sri Lankans will be charged for entering Malaysia illegally while nine Malaysians, four Indonesians and four Sri Lankans will be investigated for human smuggling.

With AP