Malaysia Minister: Let's turn human trafficking camp into tourist spot

[webfact]

Minister: Let's turn camp into tourist spot
The Star Online
Asia News Network

KUALA LUMPUR: -- WANG KELIAN: A Cabinet minister here has a suggestion - turn a human trafficking camp on the hills along the Malaysia-Thailand border into a tourism attraction.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, who visited the campsite yesterday, described it as "very nice".

"It is the largest camp among the 16 campsites found, and it is located around 100m from the border," he said of the camp that is about the size of a football field.

"Everything is still intact."

"There is a surau, a mosque, an imam house, vegetable farm and many more. There are also some writings in Thai inside the mosque," Shahidan said.

"Let the tourists see where it all happened," he said.

"With this as a new tourism spot, it will also deter human trafficking activities from taking place as there will be more people coming in and out," he said.

Shahidan, who spent an hour trekking up the campsite with General Operations Force police personnel and forest rangers, said he also found Thai beer cans and playing cards.

"These gave hints that a large community had lived there, may be around 600 people," he said.

"In my opinion, I don't think the camps were built by Malaysians unless they were communists.

"The structures at the campsite reflected expertise. I call for the police to process this camp fast to give the people an answer that this camp was not built by Malaysians. I'm sure the former communists in our country are too old for this."

Shahidan said they saw three unidentified persons flee to the Thai side of the border as they reached the campsite.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Minister-Lets-turn-camp-into-tourist-spot-30261363.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-01

[Local Drunk]

Sure find a way to cover your losses.

[worgeordie]

You could call it the Malaysia Belsen,so its not only Thailand

where money comes before anything,in this case ,common sense.

regards Worgeordie

[craigt3365]

I'm at a loss for words....

[Songhua]

Could this be Malaysia's Chalerm?

[canopus1969]

In my opinion, I don't think the camps were built by Malaysians unless they were communists.

- because they are too well constructed

[Always18]

Well, Malaysia might have thought of it as a tourist attraction first, but TAT can always, rightly, claim that Thailand is the real HUB of this loathsome traffic.................

Edited June 1, 2015 by Always18

[NeverSure]

Grotesque.

[dabhand]

Just goes to prove that intelligence is not a prerequisite for becoming a politician in this part of the world

[bendejo]

Free-market libertarianism. Gotta love it.

[clockman]

Monument to dead!

[arfurcrown]

Brings to mind those tours of the lunatic Asylums in England in the 1800's

Edited June 1, 2015 by arfurcrown

[webfact]

Abandoned migrant camps in Malaysia could be tourist attractions, says minister



KUALA LUMPUR: -- Datuk Shahidan Kassim, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, said migrant camps found on the hills bordering Thailand should be turned into tourist spots, according to New Straits Times.

The minister described the camps as beautiful and ‘full-fledged’, complete with prayer room facilities.

He said he would tell the police to not destroy a camp he visited on Sunday because it was beautiful and could be turned into a tourist spot.

“When more people visit the camp, these smugglers would not dare to come close there anymore,” he said. Shahidan and his entourage trekked up an undisclosed hill to visit a migrant camp.

Without divulging further, he said the camp was located some two hours away from the one found in Wang Kelian.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/abandoned-migrant-camps-in-malaysia-could-be-tourist-attractions-says-minister


-- Thai PBS 2015-06-01

[ezzra]

There's a blighter with a bright idea.. bugger the dead and tortured Rohigyas, let us make money

here and open a tourist spots on the boat's people graves... whoa, what a Burk...

[smedly]

I'm at a loss for words....

have to say I agree, it seems it's not only Thailand that has it's share of idiots in high level positions, not easy to outstrip some Thailand ministers for out and out stupidity

all we need now is an endorsement from an ex Thai mp - I don't think the current government is capable of such an idea

Edited June 1, 2015 by smedly

[jollyhangmon]

!!

Just when you think that over the years you've certainly heard all there is in terms of well-whisked bullschlassach - along comes Datuk, the mon.

Anyone seen that dude recently guzzling outta roof rails all whilst kneeling?
Cause i just heard extreme stupidity leads to outstanding tallness (and a ministers post for that matter, but that's been repeatedly proven ...)!?

If that's true there oughta be a severe lack of 'high end' sipping spots around here.

[coulson]

"The structures at the campsite reflected expertise. I call for the police to process this camp fast to give the people an answer that this camp was not built by Malaysians. I'm sure the former communists in our country are too old for this."

Quickly quickly, issue a statement, saw some thai writing on the wall too.............

[asdecas]

Just when you thought Thai officials were numero uno at the World Insensitivity Championships...

[sprq]

So the politicians are idiots on the other side of the border too... One of the reasons would have to be similar: media which are forbidden, or don't dare, to confront the garbage that comes out of politicians' mouths.

[jsgatse]

Wow, it's good to know that they also have their share of clueless politicians south of the border....

[Alwyn]

Why are people here complaining? Gross? Inhuman? The camps were inhuman when they had humans in them, now they're empty. People flock in their thousands to visit Belsen, Birkenau and Auschwitz etc and they were far more inhumane in their day yet people not only accept this but applaud it too

[Pimay1]

I wonder if Datuk might be an offspring of Josef Mengele and kept it hidden all these years.

[Oziex1]

Why are people here complaining? Gross? Inhuman? The camps were inhuman when they had humans in them, now they're empty. People flock in their thousands to visit Belsen, Birkenau and Auschwitz etc and they were far more inhumane in their day yet people not only accept this but applaud it too

Yeah, but not the week after the crime. The screams of the tortured have barely stopped resonating through the camp and this guy wants to profit from it.

In time it may be appropriate to open them as memorials to those who suffered and died as a result of racism, greed and indifference of brutal and misguided people of the time.

A place for quiet contemplation and respect.

[yaudah]

Brilliant Idea by a Brilliant Minister.

Yep, can't be Malaysians, too much expertise.

[Steely Dan]

Perhaps the Malays plan to turn it into a shooting range. Just kit the refugees out in pantomime style big game costumes and Bob's yer Uncle.

[elgordo38]

You could call it the Malaysia Belsen,so its not only Thailand

where money comes before anything,in this case ,common sense.

regards Worgeordie

Pay some money to have this location put on the Chinese tourist map.

Edited June 1, 2015 by elgordo38

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Malaysianess

[Chicog]

They should have a digging competition, with an iPhone 6 for the first person to dig up a dead migrant.

[Lee4Life]

Why are people here complaining? Gross? Inhuman? The camps were inhuman when they had humans in them, now they're empty. People flock in their thousands to visit Belsen, Birkenau and Auschwitz etc and they were far more inhumane in their day yet people not only accept this but applaud it too

Maybe a more careful choice of words are in order? One could think that you are saying that people applaud death camps and torture.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies removed.