Malaysia in talks to relieve worsening refugee crisis

Malaysia has launched a series of high-level talks with its neighbours to seek a solution to the deepening refugee crisis in the region.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees believes there are up to 8,000 migrants on "boats in the Andaman Sea" trying to reach land.

Malaysian foreign minister Anifah Aman met with his counterpart from Bangladesh ahead of meetings with the Indonesian and Thai foreign ministers in the coming week.

Malaysia is the current chair of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which has been criticised for long ignoring the plight of Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Burma.