The Malaysia-bound Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants now drifting at sea must be taken in and given shelter, Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali said.
Asean members should stop the blame game on in this "humanitarian crisis", while Malaysia must act quick to provide assistance to these migrants.
"I also urge Malaysia to concurrently respond to the urgent needs of the boat people in terms of safety, shelter and medical care and to mobilise the Asean countries for support.
"This is also the best time for civil society organisations to work hand in glove with the respective member countries in one giant humanitarian effort to relieve the plight of the boat people," he said in a statement.
Vessels carrying more than 1,000 Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants washed up on the Langkawi shore earlier this month amidst a crackdown on human trafficking.
The suspected human traffickers, also carrying women and children, abandoned ship after a crackdown following the discovery of mass graves believed to be of human trafficking victims on the Malaysian-Thai border.
Putrajaya said that vessels which are seaworthy will be turned away, but the Royal Malaysian Navy will provide food, water and repair the vessels (photo) .
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Shahidan Kassim today decried neighbouring country security vessels towed the boats to Malaysian waters.
Malaysia will meet with Thailand and Indonesia over the matter on Wednesday, while Foreign Minister Anifah Aman met with his Bangladeshi counterpart last weekend.
Wisma Putra in a statement said Bangladesh supports the crackdown on human trafficking but the statement made mention of the Bangladeshis on board the Malaysia-bound boats.
Make Malaysia proud
Separately, NGO coalition Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia said Malaysia must acknowledge that the Rohingya were forced to leave the Rakhine state of Myanmar to avoid death in their own country.
As such, Malaysia must take in the refugees and pressure Myanmar to ensure their safe return, or have blood on its hands, it said in a statement.
"To stay would probably be near certain death, either slow in the internment camps or rapid at the hands of violent extremists with government collusion. […]
"They have been made stateless and now can only depend on the humanity that can and must be shown to them by Malaysia and Asean.
"Make Malaysia proud. Allow them to land in this fair country. The alternative is to leave them adrift and certain death," it said.
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