Strict new laws allowing for the whipping and jailing of illegal immigrants have resulted in a sudden surge of asylum applications at the Kuala Lumpur office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

UNHCR protection officer Shinji Kubo said the agency has receiving between 100 to 150 applications daily for the past three months from asylum seekers living undocumented in Malaysia.

"Since Aug 1, there has been a surge of asylum seekers. These people were given temporary letters as soon as they registered with us. The letters may have been useful so the (asylum seekers) tell others about it. So more people came to our office," he explained.