International FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

At least 14 killed as migrant boat sinks

KUALA LUMPUR: An overloaded wooden boat believed to be carrying dozens of Indonesian illegal immigrants sank off the coast of yesterday, killing at least 14 people, among them 13 women, maritime officials said. The boat, which mar- itime officials estimated had about 70 people aboard, had left Sabak Bernam in Malaysia’s western state of Selangor for Sumatra in neighboring when the accident happened. Initial conversations with survivors led officials to believe the passengers were Indonesian, said Muhammad Aliyas Hamdan, an official of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA). “If they are legal, they would not leave (the country) that way,” Muhammad said, when asked if the peo- ple were illegal migrants. The boat sank due to overloading and bad weather, he added. Thousands of migrants from Indonesia work at construc- tion sites, on palm plantations, in factories and domestic serv- ice across Malaysia, some without legal employment docu- ments. The number of survivors stood at 19, the agency’s director of search and rescue operations, Captain Robert Teh Geok Chuan, told Reuters, including 15 rescued by fishermen earlier, though the death toll could rise. “We fear the casualty numbers will rise as it’s been several hours since the boat sank,” he added. Search operations would continue through the night, Teh said, with ships, boats and a helicopter deployed in the hunt for survivors. : A visitor places a candle as an offering for Phra Phrom, the Thai interpretation of the Hindu god , at Indonesia’s search and rescue agency said it was on standby the . — AP photos to assist its Malaysian counterpart. faced a huge migrant crisis after cracked down on people-smuggling gangs in May, with more Turkey skeptical Bangkok than 4,000 people landing in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. Hundreds are believed to have drowned. A fresh surge of refugees and migrants from bomb suspects are Turks Myanmar and Bangladesh is expected to set out in boats for Southeast Asia when the monsoon season ends in about a month, the United Nations has said. Yesterday’s accident hap- BANGKOK: Turkey expressed skepti- unauthorized explosives. Police said ficking ring with a grudge against pened as Europe faces its biggest refugee crisis since World cism yesterday over reports that its they found his fingerprints on a bottle of Thailand. However, Thai Prime Minister War Two, and has yet to find a common response. Thousands nationals were involved in the Aug. 17 bomb-making material recovered from Prayuth Chan-ocha, known for his out- of people from the Middle East, Asia and Africa have died bombing of a Bangkok landmark that an apartment that was raided over the spokenness, has stretched the theory to making the journey across the Mediterranean and on land in killed 20 people, saying it had not weekend. The other suspects include a acknowledge it could have been a gang Europe. — Reuters received any official notification from Thai woman said to be married to a involved in smuggling Uighurs out of Thailand. The Turkish Embassy said in a Turkish man. Both are being sought by . The embassy statement high- statement that it has not received con- Thai police. lighted the confusion surrounding the China and Vietnam firmation from Thai authorities about In interviews with Thai media, the ongoing investigation. It quoted the the nationalities of the suspects. Thai woman said she was innocent. She also Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman in agree to ‘properly authorities have suggested that at least said she was living in Turkey. Thai Ankara pointing out Thai press reports two of the eight suspects are possibly authorities have been careful not to saying that Meeraili, who was detained handle’ disputes Turkish. The Turkish connection has boosted a theory the suspects may be part of a BEIJING: The leaders of China and Vietnam agreed yesterday to group seeking to avenge Thailand’s “properly handle” their disputes, China’s official Xinhua news forced repatriation of more than 100 agency reported, amid tension over a territorial spat in the South ethnic Uighurs to China in July. Thailand China Sea. China’s increasingly assertive moves to press sover- is believed to be a transit stop for eignty claims in regional waters have rattled its neighbors and aroused concern in the United States, though Beijing says it has Chinese Uighurs attempting to go to no hostile intent. Turkey. Uighurs (pronounced WEE-gurs) China’s deployment of an oil rig last year, in what Vietnam are related to Turks, and Turkey is home called its exclusive economic zone and on its continental shelf, to a large Uighur community. The about 120 nautical miles off its coast, led to the worst breakdown bombed site, the Erawan Shrine, is espe- in relations since a brief border war in 1979. “We are in favor of cially popular with Chinese tourists, properly handling disputes between both sides through dialogue, feeding the speculation that it could and expanding cooperation and common interests,” Chinese have been targeted by people who President Xi Jinping told Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang, believe the Uighurs are oppressed by Xinhua said. Both are socialist countries led by communist par- China’s government. ties, and it “is a requirement for the two countries to enhance China has alleged that among the strategic coordination, exchanges and cooperation”, Xi added. Uighurs who were repatriated were Sang is in Beijing to attend a military parade marking 70 years some who intended to join Islamic State since the end of World War Two in Asia. “Vietnam hopes to fighters in Syria. In another finding that BANGKOK: This image released by the Royal Thai Police shows a man who was strengthen political trust and personnel exchanges with China, could support a link to Uighurs, police arrested at an apartment. properly handle differences and enhance win-win cooperation,” said yesterday that a man arrested Sang said, according to Xinhua. China has overlapping claims Tuesday who is considered a main sus- state publicly that the case may be near the Thai-Cambodian border, had a with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei in the pect in the bombing was carrying a linked to the Uighurs. They have said Chinese passport and that the first sus- South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade Chinese passport. The passport indicat- that such speculation could affect inter- pect, arrested in the raid on the Bangkok passes every year. Washington has taken advantage of the row to ed he was from the western region of national relations and hurt tourism. “We apartment, had a fake Turkish passport. ramp up diplomacy with Hanoi. Xinjiang, but Thai authorities had not have agreed already that I won’t men- “There is no clear information on the China has looked on with suspicion at what it sees as US yet verified its authenticity, said national tion the name of a country, the name of issue,” the spokesman was quoted as moves to “provoke” tension by supporting its regional allies, such police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri. a group or their religion. Please allow saying, urging Thai authorities to “pro- as the Philippines, besides Vietnam. me to say that it is a network, and let’s vide clear and correct information.” China and Vietnam have sought to patch up ties since the row, and Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, a member of the ruling Bomb-making material wait and see which group it is,” Thai While suggesting that Thai officials have communist party’s elite Politburo Standing Committee, visited The region of Xinjiang in western national police spokesman Prawut been providing little or no response to Vietnam in mid-July. Trade between the two countries has China is the home of the Turkish-speak- Thavornsiri said yesterday, when asked Turkish diplomatic queries, the state- swelled to $50 billion annually, but Vietnam has long been suspi- ing Uighurs. Authorities yesterday iden- if the case was linked to Uighurs. ment acknowledges that each country’s cious of its giant neighbor. — Reuters tified the suspect as Jusufu Meeraili, and Thai security officials have suggested embassy has been in touch with its host said he faces charges of possessing the suspects are part of a human traf- country’s foreign officials. — AP