Malaysia has begun sending nearly 1,500 Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar, describing their return as voluntary despite warnings from the United Nations and rights groups that Myanmar remains unsafe for them.
About 1,500 refugees are set to be sent back in the first phase, despite criticism from rights groups.
Dozens of buses arrived under police escort at a stadium near the Lumut naval base in northwestern Malaysia on Tuesday, the AFP news agency reported. Journalists were barred from the grounds.
The passengers were expected to be processed before being taken to the base and transported to Myanmar by ship.