They are not the current views of Museums Victoria, do not reflect current understanding and are not appropriate today. From this time on the numbers declined with fewer arrivals and people processed and re-settled in countries such as Australia. The condition was very terrible in the early days of the huge refugees on the island. The Pulau Bidong refugee camp in Malaysia was typical of the conditions faced by many refugees. With the huge number of boat people landed on the island, in August 1978 the federal government borrowed this island from the state government of Terengganu and gazetted Bidong as a refugee camp.Bidong is one square kilometer in area and is situated off the coast of Terengganu, Malaysia in the South China Sea. While it has been said that the living conditions in makeshift tents for those who become refugees due to wars are deplorable, for the thousands of Vietnamese boat people who found refuge at Pulau Bidong it was, to some extent, likened to living in a tropical paradise. Black market also thrived in the community. From 1978 until 2005 Bidong Island was a refugee camp with a population reaching at its peak as many as 40,000 Vietnamese refugees. Happy traveling! Certain records contain language or include depictions that are insensitive, disrespectful, offensive or racist. Peace was kept by the Malaysian Police Task Force, but the refugees can also appoint their own officials to help run the island. The refugees strongly protested their forced repatriation. In the fall of 1978 the number of refugee boats arriving from Vietnam in Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong shot up. To put it simply, there used to be two Vietnams: North Vietnam, which was aligned to communists, and South Vietnam, which was aligned to the Allied forces. Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp 1978 - 1991, Malaysia: Current News Home Thailand Koh Kra: Hell on Earth Songkhla Laem Sing; Malaysia Pulau Bidong Pulau Tengah; . The capacity of the camp was said to be 4,500. One of the many cemeteries on Bidong. The overwhelming shrubs and weeds are not helping either! Mr Kennedy said it was a transitional moment in Australia's history. See:A beauty of Tioman Island Malaysia never forgets this place! From this time on the numbers declined with fewer arrivals and people processed and re-settled in countries such as Australia. Since we did not have any adults to protect us, we were often bullied. Since all the buildings were made of wood, they are now all on the verge of collapse under the attrition of weather and the ageing process. Imagine saying no to a boat full of desperate people. Latrines and wells were inadequate; tropical rainstorms sent rivers of filthy water through the camp; all food and clean water had to be imported from the mainland. Not only did we survive the open sea without any sign of pirates, but we arrived at Pulau Bidong without any trouble. "[2] But the refugee population was well organised and many small businesses and an efficient food and water distribution system was set up. Conditions on the island were crowded, with poor sanitation and housing, but the refugee population themselves were well organised, aid organisations were well-represented and representatives from re-settlement countries frequently visited. The vocational school still has leftovers like television tubes, circuit boards, carpentry work-tables and tailoring guides - obviously displaying the training that UNHCR had given to refugees before sending them on to a permanent host country. They landed in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia, a few days later, but was told to go to Pulau Bidong where a refugee camp was set up. Why and how do I know the details of this boat? Conditions on Bidong were difficult. The island has a sad history, but it was also the beginning of a. All Rights Reserved. In the end, it was decided that my brother, eldest sister and myself was to go, giving the opportunity to the younger generation to make a better life in the outside world. In this video we visited Pulau Bidong, a island on the east coast of Malaysia that was once a refugee camp for the Vietnamese running away from the post Viet. As a young girl, I remember staring at the refugees staying at the Sungei Besi Refugee camp. Imagine a seven year old child with a twelve year old sister, wondering about the safety of our family members back in Vietnam! I was going through the list of boat numbers and noticed that my parent's boat number was not recorded on the list. Based on accounts from a former refugee, the Malaysian government as well as volunteers had over time organized the island somewhat, and it had longhouses, schools, places of worship, and even a post office and coffee shops. The refugees strongly protested their forced repatriation. The conflicts brought economic hardships and instability to the people of Vietnam, particularly those associated with the losing side. A Increase font size. A total of 9,000 Vietnamese were repatriated between 1991 and August 28, 2005 when the last refugees departed Malaysia for Vietnam. Bidong Island The Bidong Archipelago comprises six islands. Their vacant stare, looking onto the outside world from behind the barbed wire, will forever be etched in my mind, although I was no more than ten when the camp was closed. In the early stages, the refugees, some with nothing except the clothes on their backs, ate anything they could find on the island including monkeys, frogs and squirrels. Although this tiny island only had the capacity to accommodate for 4,500 refugees, however during some very peak seasons, it once sheltered almost 40,000 people. Within days after Saigon fell, the first boat arrived on Malaysian shores in May 1975, carrying 47 refugees. Though there's little of practical value in the ruins, signboards with Vietnamese characters and names are still on display - guiding our way around the little ghost town. Img by diligam_te, found on Wikipedia. Crying, my brother and sister pulled me aboard. But pantai dia all got kaca. Bidong Island Malaysia now is a deserted island without any settler or resort operated. In 1999, the island was opened to tourism. [4], After the departure of the refugees, the Marine Research Station of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu's was established on the island. Plan a visit to the island when you traveling to Malaysia and get a unique experience there. A Decrease font size. Santa Ana, CA 92799. Required fields are marked *. The remaining refugees were moved to the Sungai Besi transit camp and the process of repatriating them to Vietnam began. They indiscreetly scrutinized us as we treaded gingerly, looking out for relatives and friends, on the white sandy beach. Out of the estimated 800,000 Vietnamese who left their country during this period, the biggest proportion, more than a quarter of a million, landed on our shores. (the MRCS matched the other half.). After a convenient hotel pickup, board a speedboat and learn all about "Little Saigon," where tens of thousands of people fleeing the Vietnam War by boat landed and built a camp. It is an underwater gallery in 15 meters of depth that exhibits the replicas of relics and cultural artifacts such as Terengganu Inscription Stone, arch, tepak sireh, and traditional boat. Then in 1999, Bidong Island has opened again but for tourism purpose. In the late 70s, Pulau Bidong was also home to Cambodians, who tried to flee the Khmer Rouge regime, Chinese-Vietnamese, who tried to escape Vietnamese Government. Life on Hell Island Huynh's boat arrived on Pulau Bidong in 1978, just weeks after the island was opened to refugees. A short walk into the deep at Pantai Cina will lead to a small waterfall, said to be the favorite picnic spot of the refugees. Thousands of refugees died at sea; rape and abduction of refugee women was common. Different circumstances, different time and place. Pulau Bidong was eventually shut down as a refugee camp in October 1991, and the remaining refugees were moved to the Sungai Besi Refugee Center in Kuala Lumpur, where they were either eventually resettled or repatriated back to Vietnam. The sums overloaded the island and the refugee camp was only for about 4,500 people. But as the conflicts progressed in Vietnam, more and more refugees reached Malaysia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bidong_Island&oldid=1105891529, This page was last edited on 22 August 2022, at 07:36. Some recent travelers claim that the island is haunted by spirits who died trying to get there - one lady recently claimed she heard something eerie issuing from one of the shop houses of the former boat people there. Malaysia managed to give temporary protection to the refugees at that time because of the coordination with third countries, and countries of origin. Stayed in Zone C until April 30, 1984 (yes, April 30th!). To keep up with the influx, on the 8th of August 1978 the government established a temporary camp for them on Pulau Bidong. In due time, my parents and younger brother joined us in Melbourne. With the closing of the camp, the remaining refugees were repatriated back to Vietnam. Peace and tranquility have returned to these idyllic spots in the South China Sea but Bidong will never be the same again. Bidong Island is accessible from the coastal town of Merang in Setiu district. Ottawa: The Canadian Asian Studies Association. Refugees crowded onto the island "lived in makeshift huts two and three stories high made of salvaged timbers from wrecked boats, plastic sheets, tin cans, and corrugated iron sheets." A Geneva Convention held in July 1979 resulted in Vietnam agreeing to restrain the flow of refugees and the Southeast Asian countries agreeing to take all those who came to their shores provided that the Western countries guaranteed resettlement for the majority of them. The war practically ended then, but it marked the beginning of further conflicts, both within and with its neighbors. Can I reuse this image without permission? Many of the blogs weve found spoke of their time on the island fondly, but in reality. Bhd. The process of shooting / developing / printing / scanning / processing the images has not always been kind. It has regained its former pristine beauty and many former refugees have revisited their old home. 2012 Pulau Bidong 1991 Bidong Camp Closing 1978-1991 Pulau Bidong camp. Pulau Bidong is like a gem in the South China Sea waiting for the right time for its potential to be realized. By January 1979, there were 40,000 Vietnamese on the island and by June 1979 it was said to be the most densely populated place on earth with about 40,000 refugees crowded into a flat area hardly larger than a football field.[1]. Yes, this is the famous island portrayed in the controversial movie Turtle Beach (starring Joan Chen) but no, none of the refugees were murdered by the local fishermen. BY First Peoples of Australia should be aware that the Museums Victoria Collections website contains images, voices or names of deceased persons. Note: Pahang is the name of a state. They stand like a mute reminder to the world. Bidong Island in Malaysia is a unique destination to choose as it doesnt offer too beautiful scenery, wonderful BIdong Island sunrise and fun activities to do but it has the interesting history to learn. Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp 1978 - 1991, Malaysia: Current News Home Thailand Koh Kra: Hell on Earth Songkhla Laem Sing; Malaysia Pulau Bidong Pulau Tengah; Indonesia . Millions of people tried to flee the new Communist rule in Vietnam. The two sides were locked in war, until the North managed to capture Saigon (the Souths capital, now called Ho Chi Minh) in April 1975. Largest island (about 260 ha in size), Bidong was one of the scenic and uninhibited islands in those days. But even though there used to be so much on the island, practically everything had rotted away or were vandalized. By the second day, our remaining food was stolen by another refugee. Those whose applications were rejected were sent to the Sungai Besi Refugee Camp, where they were later forcibly repatriated back to Vietnam after the war. Aid organizations such as the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and many non-governmental organizations assisted the refugees. In May 1975, the first boat with 47 refugees arrived in Malaysia from Vietnam. Luck was with our group. In 1999, the island was opened to tourism. Sanitation was nearly non-existent and hepatitis was rampant. We were also lucky to meet up with some old neighbors, who soon took us under their wings. Like a harmonious neighborhood, the "villagers" built their church adjacent to a Buddhist temple, both structures still standing today. Refugee boats were often pushed offshore or towed to Bidong and other designated camps. First day to be a refugee (ID under boat number PB942) was in a heavy down-pouring due to the Monsoon. Copyright 2020. Bidong Island also offers the underwater attraction. Something should be done to retain the heritage of the boat people, once so controversially intertwined with the country's destiny. Our aim is to make mundane things like news and current events entertaining, and informative, hopefully in equal measure. Before the island was used to land Vietnamese refugees in 1978, the island was uninhibited and has beautiful scenery. The locals (particularly in the East Coast) didnt like that at all, to the point that some were attacking the incoming boats by throwing rocks at them. With the closing of the camp, the remaining refugees were repatriated back to Vietnam. Pulau Bidong is off the coast of Terengganu and accessible via the Kampung Merang jetty, a 20-minute drive from Kuala Terengganu. With the only navigation tools they had of a compass and a map, they sailed to the closest country with hopes that they will accept the refugees. US forces leaving Saigon, shortly before the capital fell. What remains are mute reminders of recent history: charred wooden buildings and rotting huts which once housed about a quarter of a million boat people since their first arrival in 1978. Img from TunHans WordPress. The population of Bidong began to decline as refugees departed for resettlement abroad. BOX 27372 There were regular music festivals performed by the refugees and Malaysian musicians as well as UN, MRCS, Police Task Force personnel. We also did not know how to tell my parents that our brother drowned on the way here. Bidong Island is accessible from the coastal town of Merang. The Canadian Embassy provided a matching grant of RM20,000 for us to build the stage for the performances. With the huge number of boat people landed on the island, in August 1978 the federal government borrowed this island from the state government of Terengganu and gazetted Bidong as a refugee camp.Bidong is one square kilometer in area and is situated off the coast of Terengganu, Malaysia in the South China Sea. Bidong island was a refugee camp for the South Vietnamese boat people who escaped from communisms from the Vietnam war. Some of the countries we currently cover are Burma, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Entertainment In the late 80s, a musical stage was set up next to longhouse B15. (ABC Radio Darwin: Supplied) After the Vietnam War ended John Thanh . VHM collects and sharesthetestimonies and artifacts that tell the stories of the Vietnamese refugees. Img from Astro Awani. Latrines and wells were inadequate; tropical rainstorms sent rivers of filthy water through the camp; all food and clean water had to be imported from the mainland. Also, there was something about keeping the racial balance in Malaysia. But was the journey worth it? Water was rationed at one gallon per day per person. 2023 Vietnamese Heritage Museum. Bidong had so many fishes around the island. Transfer to Sungai Besei in Kuala Lumpur for 3 weeks before heading to Bataan PRPC (Philippine Refugee Processing Center) for a 3 months Cultural and Orientation Program for English level E. Left Zone 5 (near the Camp Market) early in the morning of August 14, 1984 to go to America via Northwest Airlines (Seatle WA port of arrival). That was my first hand introduction on the horrific experiences of the Vietnamese Boat People. He was thrown out into the open sea on a dark night. Out in the sea, our main fears were the pirates - who will not hesitate to rob, rape, beat and murder - on top of the natural hardships of starvation, thirst and sea sickness. Aid organisations such as the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and many non-governmental organisations assisted the refugees. This little Saigon has been turned to several villages, each with a number of long houses and its own chief. It was three years after the Vietnam War ended with the fall of Saigon to the communist North Vietnamese Army. The capacity of the camp was said to be 4,500. 40,000 refugees packed together in a flat area about the size of a football field, established a temporary camp for them on Pulau Bidong, to interview refugees and bring the lucky ones, A Terengganu law now makes it illegal for unmarried Muslims to be pregnant, 6 funny Malaysian football chants to sing along to next time you watch a game, Cloning & sex changes: The bizarre extinction of Malaysian leatherback turtles. You may be required to obtain permission from the copyright owner. By the time Bidong was closed as a refugee camp on October 30, 1991, about 250,000 Vietnamese had passed through or resided in the camp. Often, they would visit the graveyards found on Pulau Bidong, which have been maintained by the Archive of Vietnamese Boat People, with money contributed by ethnic Vietnamese around the world. Pulau Bidong was eventually shut down as a refugee camp in October 1991, and the remaining refugees were moved to the Sungai Besi Refugee Center in Kuala Lumpur, where they were either eventually resettled or repatriated back to Vietnam. Digital colour photograph of Indo-Chinese refugees queuing for rations on 'ration day' outside the main administration building. It was an agonizing wait - what will happen to us if our application is rejected? Other refugee camps were also set up in other regions of Malaysia such as Pulau Tengah, Pulau Besar, Kota Bharu, Kuantan, Sarawak, Sabah, and Kuala Lumpur. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the most accurate information is presented, some content may contain errors. Voices of refugees. The wildlife population was decimated. ThingsAsian is an Asia travel website with stories contributed by a worldwide community. Bidong Island The Bidong Archipelago comprises six islands. These parallel and intersecting experiences have both personal and bureaucratic elements to them, linked by place, and world events, with craft and gifts of appreciation providing tangible points of connection and memory. But it wasnt all bad. The journey was a hard one for many refugees. A beauty of Tioman Island Malaysia never forgets this place! Every year, they (the Vietnamese) will come here to visit the graves of their ancestors, and recently we found out that there are requests to hold weddings here even though they have become successful people in the fields of politics and economy, they have a very high sentimental attachment to Pulau Bidong, Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, translated from Astro Awani. Struggling past the dense weeds and mosquitoes, the narrow passage then leads deeper into the island. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the famous Pulau Bidong, while participating in a foster family program in Terengganu. We called it Supplied Water. Another 600 refugees arrived in August and thereafter the arrival of boats from Vietnam was a near daily occurrence. In 1990, due to excessive supply of instant noodles, that were wasted, each person was given 5 packs of instant noodles per week instead of 7 packs. For some First Peoples communities, seeing images or hearing recordings of persons who have passed, may cause sadness or distress and, in some cases, offense. By the time Bidong was closedas a refugee camp on October 30, 1991, about 250,000 Vietnamese had passed through or resided in the camp. Malaysia About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features OMG, SPM is so secretive, its even filed under OSA but why? Nevertheless, few structures are safe from the destructive action, such as an artificial boat besides the temple to commemorate those arrival on the island, statute of a father who pulls his beloved daughter out from the sea, cement memories with heart aching words inscribed, gravestones marking the burial plots etc. Only emptiness and a strange affectionate air lingers. A 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization, EIN 82-2141214. The Chinese who did stay, were persecuted by the locals along with their siblings [they] acquired a boat through a friend, a compass, and a map for their journey. item HT 35675 Presentation Plaque - Handpainted Ship Wheel, Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp, Malaysia, 1981 Migration & Cultural Diversity Handpainted wooden ship wheel presented to Lachlan Kennedy, a member of the Australian Department of Immigration Indo-Chinese Refugee Taskforce, from January-September 1981. They let us go after "collecting" all watches, jewelries and money. While the last Vietnamese refugee left Malaysia on Aug 30, 2005 . Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. This incident became known as one of the worlds biggest humanitarian crises, and the Vietnamese refugees were known as the Vietnamese Boat People, or Orang Vietnam Hanyut (OVH) in Malaysia. Largest island (about 260 ha in size), Bidong was one of the scenic and uninhibited islands in those days. Another 600 refugees arrived in August and thereafter the arrival of boats from Vietnam was a near daily occurrence. Bidong Island was officially opened as a refugee camp on 8 August 1978 with 121 Vietnamese refugees. The island was designed to shelter 4,500 refugees, but by January 1979, a total of 18,000 refugees were housed there, and by June the number swelled to 40,000, making it the most heavily populated place on earth. Last May I had the opportunity to accompany a Vietnamese American Heritage Foundation (VAHF) delegation to visit one of the former gateways to freedom in the Southeast Asian region: the refugee camp of Galang in the Riau Archipelago, also a province, in Indonesia that received boat people escaping communist Vietnam in the late 1970s through the . Some sources had estimated at as many as 300,000 of them were sent off to re-education camps, where they were tortured, starved, and forced to perform hard labor. Indeed, outside of the Philippines, Vietnam was Asia's most Catholic country due to the French colonial experience. Img from Medium. It takes 30 minutes to reach the island by speed boat. While the last Vietnamese refugee left Malaysia on Aug 30, 2005. One visitor, Leo Cherne, called Bidong "Hell Isle." According to the video, part of the reason was that the refugees created a higher demand in food, driving prices up. The level of documentation for collection items can and does vary, dependent on when or how the item was collected. The refugees strongly protested their forced repatriation. The passage from Vietnam was hazardous and the refugee boats were small, overloaded, and often attacked by pirates. Doan was the last remaining Vietnamese refugee in Malaysia out of over 250,000 Vietnamese refugees who had landed on the eastern shores of Malaysia some 20 years ago. 2023 Vietnamese Heritage Museum. There were "just barely enough" food and water for everyone. At the time Pulau Bidong was a refugee camp for Vietnamese boatpeople; at times about 5 000 people were there; mostly Vietnamese, plus various Malaysian and international workers. Boredom and uncertainty are the biggest. The photographer was Lachlan Kennedy, who was a member of the Australian Department of Immigration Indo-Chinese Refugee Taskforce, from January-September 1981 during the aftermath of the Vietnam War. They were called boat people. However, the number of boat people fleeing Vietnam was relatively small until 1978. was officially opened as a refugee camp on August 8th, 1978 with 121 Vietnamese refugees. Closing ceremony Bidong was officially closed with a farewell ceremony on October 30th, 1991. Up until last month, almost 5,000 people had visited the island, and some of them include former refugees or their children. In May 1975, Malaysia's shores saw the arrival of the first weather-beaten boat, carrying 47 people from Viet Nam. My parents remained in Vietnam with my youngest brother, then still a toddler. Which is a shame, because people (both tourists and those connected to the refugees) still come and visit the ruins and cemeteries to this very day. Refugees leaving the camp would sell their shacks to new arrivals or brokers from as little as US$20 to as high as US$400. The arrival of new refugees to Bidong and other locations in Southeast Asia decreased after June 1979. Our applications were approved and we sailed to Australia. Bidong Island or Pulau Bidong is a tiny island in one square kilometer of width. This important collection represents two sides of the asylum experience - the refugees and the government officials. Bidong IslandThe Bidong Archipelago comprises six islands. Santa Ana, CA 92799. Finally the theme of refugee, internee and detainee craft recurs across time and place and provides a tangible connection between very different human experiences, the trauma, economy and the tedium of which has been consistently alleviated through artistic practice. P.O. Under the agreement, Malaysia accepted around 250,000 Indochinese boat people who resided at Pulau Bidong refugee camp in Terengganu. Theres an official fungus species named after Spongebob and it was found in Malaysia. It seems the camp spread and scattered around every flat area of the island. Another 600 refugees arrived in August and thereafter the arrival of boats from Vietnam was a near daily occurrence. Pulau Bidong served as a half-way house for these people before they were sent to other third countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia and several European countries, and it took time to grant approval to those qualified to be accepted as refugees. Pulau Bidong Camp: Contestations for Power and Place Abstract With more than 1.6 million refugees departing from land and sea following the end of the Vietnam War (1955-1975), refugee camps emerged as part of the southeast Asian landscape for more than a decade. Cross, Copyright Lachlan Kennedy / All Rights Reserved. To that end, officials from Europe, the US, Australia and Canada came to refugee camps in Southeast Asia to interview refugees and bring the lucky ones back to their countries, and little by little the number of refugees lessened. A Malaysian government transit boat on route to the Pulau Bidong refugee camp in 1981. Credit: Lachlan Kennedy/Museums Victoria From 1975 to 1985, Australia accepted 80,000 Vietnamese refugees, and now more than 200,000 Vietnamese-born people call Australia home. My parents were forced to leave because of all the hatred towards the Chinese people. Doctors were abundant, but medicine was in short supply. Migration & Cultural Diversity, Transport, Images & Image Making, Donation from Mr Lachlan Kennedy, 16 Mar 2015, Mr Lachlan Kennedy, Pulau Bidong, Terengganu, Malaysia, Apr 1981, Migration, Processing - immigration selection, Refugee camps, Vietnamese Immigration, Refugees, Water Transport, Water Vessel, Boats, Immigration, Immigrant Voyages, Immigration Selection, Vietnam War Refugees, Museums Victoria Collections https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/2103284Accessed 05 March 2023, We support the open release of data and information about our collections. Though refugees could reach Terengganu within days, the slow overcrowded boats were often attacked by pirates who, in ascending order of severity, robbed, raped, maimed and killed. Picked up by local police at 1:30am and by the UNHCR at noon on the following day (by bus to the Marang Transit Camp). We encourage and welcome contact from First Peoples Communities, scholars and others to provide advice to correct and enhance information. Leo Cherne, a visitor to the camp, had once described the place as Hell Isle based on his observations. But the prospect of tourism had been promising. Although this tiny island only had the capacity to accommodate for 4,500 refugees, however during some very 'peak' seasons, it once sheltered almost 40,000 people. Immigration officials from many countries visited the island to intervew refugees for resettlement abroad. Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp 1978 - 1991, Malaysia: Current News Home Thailand Koh Kra: Hell on Earth Songkhla Laem Sing; Malaysia Pulau Bidong Pulau Tengah; . Your email address will not be published. List of boats known to have arrived at Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp: 1978-1980, 1981-1985, 1986-1990, 1991 & after: From 1986 To 1990: Boat number Arrived Bidong Departed . You can also find some old buildings and cemeteries, remnants of the refugees that once stayed there. It was a risky thing to do, but they were desperate, as recounted by former refugees and their children. Sanitation was nearly non-existent and hepatitis was rampant. The capacity of the camp was said to be 4,500. Then in 1978, the other refugees come as many as 121 people. P.O. Again, lady luck smiled at us. The largest amounts of refugees came in 1979; more than 40,000 people. Pulau Bidong was officially open on August 8th, 1978 On October 30th, 1991, Pulau Bidong camp was closed (Mohamad) 1996: Sungei Besi camp was closed Over 9,000 Vietnamese refugees were repatriated back to Vietnam August 28, 2005: Last Vietnamese refugees were repatriated back to Vietnam 1982 A story of despair, courage and compassion. However, perhaps many would not remember that in the 1970s, Malaysia, along with other neighboring countries, were part of one of the biggest refugee crises in history.
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