<p>Dozens of Rohingya, mostly women and children, were caught as they arrived by boat in Malaysia last month after fleeing a refugee camp in neighbouring Indonesia, police said Friday.</p>.<p>Almost 400 members of the persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar arrived by boat in Indonesia last year after perilous journeys, and just over 100 now remain at a camp there.</p>.<p>Many are believed to have enlisted traffickers to help them make the sea crossing, including women seeking to reunite with their husbands in the Southeast Asian country.</p>.<p>Relatively affluent, Muslim-majority Malaysia is the main destination for Rohingya fleeing misery in Bangladeshi refugee camps.</p>.<p>Police confirmed to AFP that a boat carrying 36 people -- 31 Rohingya and five Indonesians -- was intercepted as it landed on Malaysia's west coast on January 6.</p>.<p>"They entered Malaysia by boat from Tanjung Balai (on Indonesia's Sumatra island) and landed at a beach," said Abdul Rahim Jaafar, the director of internal security at the Royal Malaysia Police.</p>.<p>The Rohingya migrants numbered 17 women, seven men, five boys and two girls.</p>.<p>They were detained and 21 have been charged for entering Malaysia without valid documents, Abdul Rahim said. A further two people have been charged under anti-trafficking laws.</p>.<p>News of the boat landing tallies with accounts from Rohingya at the camp in Indonesia, who told AFP this week that scores of women had been smuggled to Malaysia.</p>.<p>While some were caught, others are believed to have successfully entered the country and reunited with their spouses, according to Rohingya and human rights groups.</p>.<p>Almost one million Rohingya live in sprawling camps in Bangladesh, many of which were set up after a bloody crackdown by Myanmar's military in 2017 drove them into the impoverished South Asian country.</p>.<p>Over the years, many have sought to flee by boat to Malaysia, enduring harrowing, months-long sea journeys punctuated by illness and beatings.</p>.<p>More than 100,000 Rohingya live on the margins of society in Malaysia, registered as refugees but not allowed to work, forcing them into illegal construction and other low-paid jobs.</p>
<p>Dozens of Rohingya, mostly women and children, were caught as they arrived by boat in Malaysia last month after fleeing a refugee camp in neighbouring Indonesia, police said Friday.</p>.<p>Almost 400 members of the persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar arrived by boat in Indonesia last year after perilous journeys, and just over 100 now remain at a camp there.</p>.<p>Many are believed to have enlisted traffickers to help them make the sea crossing, including women seeking to reunite with their husbands in the Southeast Asian country.</p>.<p>Relatively affluent, Muslim-majority Malaysia is the main destination for Rohingya fleeing misery in Bangladeshi refugee camps.</p>.<p>Police confirmed to AFP that a boat carrying 36 people -- 31 Rohingya and five Indonesians -- was intercepted as it landed on Malaysia's west coast on January 6.</p>.<p>"They entered Malaysia by boat from Tanjung Balai (on Indonesia's Sumatra island) and landed at a beach," said Abdul Rahim Jaafar, the director of internal security at the Royal Malaysia Police.</p>.<p>The Rohingya migrants numbered 17 women, seven men, five boys and two girls.</p>.<p>They were detained and 21 have been charged for entering Malaysia without valid documents, Abdul Rahim said. A further two people have been charged under anti-trafficking laws.</p>.<p>News of the boat landing tallies with accounts from Rohingya at the camp in Indonesia, who told AFP this week that scores of women had been smuggled to Malaysia.</p>.<p>While some were caught, others are believed to have successfully entered the country and reunited with their spouses, according to Rohingya and human rights groups.</p>.<p>Almost one million Rohingya live in sprawling camps in Bangladesh, many of which were set up after a bloody crackdown by Myanmar's military in 2017 drove them into the impoverished South Asian country.</p>.<p>Over the years, many have sought to flee by boat to Malaysia, enduring harrowing, months-long sea journeys punctuated by illness and beatings.</p>.<p>More than 100,000 Rohingya live on the margins of society in Malaysia, registered as refugees but not allowed to work, forcing them into illegal construction and other low-paid jobs.</p>