paulry

Australia is going to send 800 asylum seekers to Malaysia in exchange for accepting 4000 others. Looks like a wonderful deal the Malaysians but unless the devil is in the detail or there is some kind of foolproof cynical calculation how exactly will it benefit Australia?

iamthecreaturefromuranus

4000 checked and approved asylum seekers as opposed to 800 straight off the boats.

hoofie2002

Agreed

4000 Burmese refugees who have been living in Malaysia for years waiting for the chance of a new life; who are as poor as church mice; who have gone through the proper but terribly slow process to seek asylum - rather than 800 people who seem to have enough money to pay the smugglers and want to jump the queue. For anyone who is any doubt, read this article.

There is no doubt the government is in a huge mess over this one but at least for the first time the priorities seem to be correct.

paulry

I have to admit that it does seem more palatable. But who'll be taking the other 90 000 + 800?

Kooky.

And what's in store for the 800 poor buggers going to Malaysia - a place not exactly known for its impeccable treatment of refugees.

spuddyo

That's the whole point I think. If they have half an idea that they will be deported to Malaysia, they might not get on that boat in the first place.

Kooky.

Unless it's the lesser of two evils, perhaps.