Return Of The Boat People - Malaysia

November 2008

As communism spread throughout Vietnam, refugees fled the country to Malaysia. Many of their boats were pillaged by pirates, others capsized. Thirty years later, the survivors retrace these dark days.

In 1978 one couple set sail on a fishing boat joined by 300 paying passengers. As they tried to dock at a Malaysian beach, soldiers opened fire. Forced to remain at sea, a treacherous storm took the lives of two of their children. The boat was crumbling, so I said everyone has to swim ashore. Hoang and his wife now visit a mass cemetery for the first time since the burial, Number 23, 24... Theyre my children. More than 250,000 refugees arrived on Malaysian soil where officials housed them in camps. Dong Tran now brings former refugees back to the camp he fondly remembers. You step from hell to paradise, although it is a small paradise, but paradise is paradise.

Produced by ABC Australia
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• boat
• people
• massacre
• malaysia
• journeyman
• pictures
• news
• documentary
• current affairs
• journeyman pictures

[jhuynh168]

i landed in Bidong on Nov 19, 1978, boat #156...spent 18 months at the island. There is a couple of unhappy dudes on this board... guys, consider we are passing through earth as a journey...please make good use of it and leave a good name as an individual or collectively as a group, if you can. Regardless of what happened, I want to thank the Malay govt and the folks there who tolerated the uninvited boat people for a decade or so.

[89Union]

I love Malaysia♥♥♥♥

[buzzman849]

yeah sure come taxpayers will fund your new life

[killerproninja]

where do boat people come from?

[seant1997]

My family is a mixture of people that have immigrated to Australia and also came by boat. Unfortunately not all made it here. I am a third generation Vietnamese-Australian. And I am grateful that I have the opportunities that are offered to me here and I am certainly looking back with gratitude.

[bachnguyettien]

Yes, big thanks to the people and the govt of Malaysia for housing us in their land for more than a year

[megatown]

@aberserk9

open your mouth when you have a say, or save our precious time

[aberserk9]

@megatown - For starters, don't smoke anymore of those weeds! That stuff is screwing up your brains! (If there is anything left of it.) You should seriously consider seeking professional help from a shrink! The sooner, the better.

[aberserk9]

@zofronio One thing I know from experience. The chance of getting robbed, killed, raped or otherwise abused is a hell of a lot higher in your place, the Philippines, than in Malaysia. I lived there 1965 to 1974.

[Richardood]

Du maa fucking communists , FREEDOM 4 LIFE , GOD 4 LIFE <333