KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian police said yesterday they had detained more than 900 Myanmar nationals in a security sweep after at least two were killed last week in clashes believed to be linked to sectarian violence back home.
The two dead were likely Myanmar Buddhists killed during a spate of violent incidents in Kuala Lumpur since May 30, said Amar Singh Ishar Singh, the Malaysian capital’s deputy police chief.
Amar said more than 250 of those detained in Malaysia were handed over to immigration authorities as they lacked proper documentation. The rest were released and no formal arrests have yet been made as investigations continue, he said.
Myanmar on Tuesday called on Malaysia to take action against those responsible for the attacks and protect Myanmar citizens.
US warning over Vietnam
WASHINGTON: A senior US official warned yesterday that Vietnam’s record on human rights was deteriorating as he faced calls from Congress to put tougher conditions on the nations’ warming partnership.
Joe Yun, the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia, said the USs had “considerable leverage” with Vietnam as the former war enemies build trade and security links in a region marked by China’s rise.
“We acknowledge that the recent situation, if anything, has been backtracking. There’s no question,” Yun told a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee.
“Recent developments have been very discouraging and disappointing, but I do hold promise that our engagement, both with civil societies that are in Vietnam as well as economic engagement, will only help,” he said.
Agencies
