Foreigners, especially those from Sri Lanka, who were brought into Malaysia illegally with the promise to be sent to other countries, have been urged to be wary of unscrupulous agents.

Malaysian Nanban, quoting Suhakam commissioner Datuk N. Sivasubramaniam, urged these foreigners not to be fooled by such agents, saying that the organisation had received many complaints concerning the matter.

"These refugees, especially Sri Lankans, are brought illegally into this country and promised by the agents that they can seek residence in Australia, Canada and New Zealand, but they end up getting stranded here," he said.

The agents meanwhile, took all their money and some even took money from the refugees’ contacts in other countries, he said.

Sivasubramaniam urged the refugees to contact their respective embassies, Immigration Department or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for update on their status of application.