Hundreds of Rohingya people boarded a vessel bound for Malaysia two weeks ago, and were transferred onto two boats on Thursday, Malaysian authorities have said. One boat carrying 70 people sank shortly afterwards, while the fate of around 230 people on board the other vessel remains unclear, officials said. Malaysia, which does not recognise refugee status, has in recent years begun to turn away boats and detain Rohingya as part of a crackdown on undocumented migrants. Rights group Amnesty International on Monday called on ASEAN to address the issue of Rohingya boats at sea. "The unconscionable practice of pushing boats away from borders must end, and regional governments must ensure that any boats carrying refugees and migrants are allowed to land safely in the nearest country," Amnesty said.
