Malaysian authorities have released more than 100 Rohingya Muslim asylum seekers who were detained earlier this week, with the group being sent to various locations across the country.
Police detained the refugees on Monday after they gathered outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Kuala Lumpur seeking assistance, claiming they had been evicted from their homes in Penang state.
A total of 109 Rohingya refugees were later released from Kuala Lumpur police headquarters after authorities reviewed their documentation, Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus said.
Fadil said the refugees were sent to locations designated by the UN refugee agency and non-governmental organisations in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang.
"The destinations were selected based on contacts and relatives (of the refugees) living in those areas," he said.
Authorities said all of those detained held valid UNHCR documentation, according to state news agency Bernama.
Malaysia reviews UNHCR role
Malaysia, which is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention, treats asylum seekers as illegal migrants but has long been a destination for Rohingya fleeing persecution in Myanmar.
On Tuesday, Malaysia's foreign minister called for a review of whether the UN refugee agency should continue operating in the country unless it adopts stricter controls over issuing refugee documents.
Rohingya refugees in Malaysia have faced increasing harassment and scrutiny in recent months after being targeted by online hate speech and misinformation.
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