PROVIDE THE INFORMATION, ABDULLAH TELLS THE US

KUALA TERENGGANU (Malaysia), Jan 16 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi wants the United States to pass on information pertaining to
allegations that Malaysian officials extorted money from migrants in the
country.

Stating that the government did not tolerate such practice, he said that so
far, the authorities had not received any report on the matter.

"If the US authority has it, we would be very thankful if they can pass the
information to us so we can investigate and take appropriate action," he told
reporters here Thursday.

Abdullah was asked to comment on a foreign news agency report that the US
senate was investigating allegations that officials in Malaysia were extorting
money from foreign migrants and were linked to human trafficking.

Asked if the Malaysian Government was in touch with the US authorities on
the issue, he said: "I have no information if we have been in touch with them. I
would like to ask them."

The AFP report, among others, stated that the migrants, mostly from
military-ruled Myanmar, were allegedly taken by government officials to the
border between Malaysia and Thailand where they were extorted or sold to human
trafficking syndicates.

The investigations are being carried out by the US Senate foreign relations
committee and the findings would be relayed to key US enforcement agencies and
Interpol for possible action.
-- BERNAMA