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Detainee deaths cloud Malaysia asylum seeker deal
Daily Telegraph - June 8, 2011
It comes as Treasurer Wayne Swan yesterday hit back at claims by independent Andrew Wilkie that the government had "lost its moral compass" over its planned refugee swap.
Malaysia is close to finalising its end of a deal to swap 800 asylum seekers from Australia for 4000 refugees.
And there are now 275 asylum seekers waiting on Christmas Island after another boatload with 59 people on board was picked up yesterday. At least 16 of them are unaccompanied children whose fate will be decided on a "case-by-case" basis by Immigration Minister Chris Bowen.
Responding to the criticism from Mr Wilkie, one of the independents helping Labor hold government, Mr Swan said the Malaysian Solution was being done with "the best intent".
"This is a model which will not only be effective in killing off the people smugglers' trade, but also will bring a lot more integrity to the processes that are required in third countries," he said.
The US human rights report published last year cited the Malaysia's Human Rights Commission, which found most refugees and prisoners died from disease spread by poor sanitation and overcrowding, with claims of poor food availability and a lack of clean water found to be credible.
After a split emerged with some left-faction Labor MPs, with West Australian backbencher Melissa Parke describing the 800 being sent to Malaysia as "sacrificial lambs", ministers yesterday defended the swap.
Trade Minister Craig Emerson said Mr Bowen's decision to send children on a "case-by-case" basis was humane.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will tour the taxpayer-funded processing centre on Nauru this week, saying: "The Prime Minister should swiftly make a similar trip to Malaysia if she really thinks that illegal arrivals from Australia could be sent there any time soon and be looked after in accordance with Australian standards."
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