PUTRAJAYA, May 20 — Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman today denied that the federal government had left hundreds of Rohingya refugees to die out in the sea by refusing to take them in, insisting that it had intended to provide them with assistance unlike what was widely reported.

He claimed that such allegations were “news to him” since Putrajaya’s position on the issue has always been to provide the refugees with as much assistance as possible.

“That is news to me,” Anifah said when asked to comment on news reports claiming that the Malaysian navy had towed a boat carrying about 300 ethnic Rohingya refugees out of the country’s waters and allegedly prevented activists from giving them food and medical supplies.

“My instruction is very clear. I’m the spokesman for the government in this issue. Our instructions were to assist these people as we possibly can,” he told reporters here.

Earlier this morning, Anifah met with his Indonesian and Thai counterparts to discuss ways to handle the mass influx of Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi migrants into its waters via sea route.

Putrajaya was heavily criticised at home and abroad for refusing to take in the refugees who were left adrift in a damaged vessel without food and water.

There were news reports that the Malaysian maritime authorities towed boats away from Malaysian waters and prevented humanitarian groups from reaching the refugees to give supplies.

When asked about this, Anifah said “the question does not arise”.

“As I said my instructions are clear… we are to provide assistance,” he said.

Despite its initial stand, Putrajaya announced this afternoon that Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to provide humanitarian assistance to the 7,000 migrants still adrift at sea, including offering temporary shelter.

But Anifah said the assistance depended upon the international community’s assurance that it takes steps to repatriate them within a year.

He also said the two countries are prepared to carry out “their duties” if they are given the necessary support, particularly financial assistance.