(AFP) Foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar today criticised Australian Prime Minister John Howard for accusing the government of not cooperating in the fight against people smuggling.

Syed Hamid described Howard's allegation as "unreasonable and not based on facts".

"When subject to international criticism, you try to find scapegoats," he told reporters after a luncheon meeting with Singapore's visiting senior minister Lee Kuan Yew.

Syed Hamid said it was unfair for Howard to point fingers, suggesting Australia should listen to the international community over how to handle the refugee issue and not politicise it.

"This is not an issue for elections. Australia has been a champion of human rights. When things are getting difficult, to just blame other countries, that is not right," he said.

Act tough

Howard said yesterday it was up to the United Nations to get tough on nations such as Indonesia and Malaysia, which allowed people-smugglers to cross their borders.

"People come from Afghanistan and the Middle East, they go through Malaysia -- many of them -- and then they go to Indonesia.

"We do not have the cooperation of countries that should be cooperating," he said.

Howard's remark came as Australia faced international criticism after a Norwegian freighter, the Tampa, picked up 438 mainly Afghan refugees when the Indonesian boat carrying them to Australia started to leak.

Australia refused to accept the refugees, who remain on board the Tampa more than a week after being rescued.

Not serious

Syed Hamid said Australian Foreign minister Alexander Downer last year expressed Australia's appreciation of the government's cooperation in curbing human smuggling.

"I met the foreign minister last year, who thanked Malaysia for all the assistance it gave to make sure people do not use Malaysia as a country of transit to go to Australia," he said.

Marine police commander Muhamad Muda said yesterday patrols had been stepped up to prevent foreigners using this country as a stepping stone to entering other countries illegally.

"Human-smuggling out of here is not a serious problem. The number is small compared to those entering the country illegally. We have stepped up patrols to curb both activities," he said.