Defying China, Malaysia releases Uighur detainees

Berjaya Corp unit's hope to recoup US$10m dims after Vietnam court upholds key decision in country's biggest-ever fraud case.

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysia has freed from detention 11 ethnic Uighur Muslims who fled to the South-East Asian nation after a Thai jailbreak last year, and sent them to Turkey, their lawyer said on Thursday, in disregard of China’s request to hand them to Beijing.

The move is likely to strain ties with China, already tested since Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad became prime minister after a stunning election victory in May and cancelled more than US$20bil (about RM80bil) worth of projects awarded to Chinese companies.