23 Myanmar Nationals Stranded 8 Mo

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Subject: 23 Myanmar Nationals Stranded  8 Months in Tawau( Sabah)

UTUSAN MELAYU           5  May 1997

23 Myanmar Nationals Stranded  8 Months in Tawau( Sabah)

Tawau 4th May, - 23 Myanmar nationals who worked as shipcrew of ?
CASSIOPIA? registered in Thailand were to take shelter in that country
and couldn?t return to their mother country since last eight months
because of the problem of the ship engine.
According to the captain, U Kyaw Zaw, situation became worse when their
employer in Thailand does not want to take the responsibilities and
giving reason  that the company already bankrupt.  The captain told to
reporters (when interviewed on the ship) that, the situation became more
serious  when they contacted Myanmar Embassy in Kuala Lumpur to  seek
help. The Embassy officials turned down their request to help reasoning
that they were ?too busy?.

Foreign Minister Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that he will bring
this issue to the Myanmar Embassy for them to solve it as soon as
possible . ? We don?t  know why Myanmar Embassy responded like that, but
I think the Embassy should take care the welfare of their people
here.?... he told reporters after attending a special gathering with
peoples in the house of Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah Datuk Abdul Gafur
Hj Salleh.-Bernama (Malaysian National News Agency)

Translated by Dr. Kamal/ Shahrul