Abbot Urged To Consider M'sia Asylum Deal In Wake Of Deaths At Sea

MELBOURNE, June 22 (Bernama) -– There are urgent calls to Australian opposition leader Tony Abbott to consider supporting the government's Malaysia swap deal to prevent more asylum-seeker deaths at sea. Abbott's own Liberal Party MP Dr Mal Washer had urged the government and the opposition to "put decency over politics" and come to a negotiated solution on offshore processing. His call came as more bodies were spotted in the waters northwest of Christmas Island Friday afternoon after an overcrowded people-smuggling vessel capsized Thursday in rough seas. About 90 asylum-seekers remained unaccounted for, while 109 survivors, including a 13-year-old boy, have been brought ashore at Christmas Island. Three bodies have been recovered. "Let's put that (Malaysia) back on the table," Dr Washer is quoted by The Australian newspaper as saying. Fellow Liberal moderate Russell Broadbent signalled he was also torn on the issue, declaring he would make a statement on the matter next week. "I am considering the whole of this issue at the moment, and I will have something further to say on Monday," he said. Two key independent MPs challenged Abbott's Coalition and the Greens to strike a deal to allow offshore refugee processing. Independent MPs Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor said it was time to end the political impasse to prevent further asylum-seeker deaths at sea. Oakeshott singled out the Opposition as the main impediment to an agreement (with Malaysia), saying the prospect of a solution had been hampered by "a desire by some for toxic politics to win the day". The Australian government wants to process asylum-seekers in Malaysia and has agreed to a processing centre on Nauru. But the Coalition has refused to agree, saying the Howard-era model of processing on Nauru and issuing refugees with temporary protection visas remains the best approach. –- BERNAMA