SYDNEY- Prime Minister Julia Gillard, announced Saturday that the Malaysia has agreed to take hundreds of asylum seekers who illegally, land in Australia in a move described as a "big hit" to smugglers.
Under the bilateral agreement, up to 800 boat people trying to reach Australia is taken immediately to the Malaysia, with their applications processed it by the United Nations.
In return, the Australia agreed to accept and to reinstall, more than four years, 4,000 refugees enrolled currently living in Malaysia, Gillard and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak said in a joint statement.
"This historic agreement will help to bring that product smugglers attempting to sell - a ticket for the Australia,", said the Gillard.
"The key message that will invest in smugglers and those who seek to make the trip in the dangerous sea Australia are: get on the boat."
"Under this agreement, if you arrive in Australian waters and are taken into Malaysia you go to the back of the queue."
The agreement, which was negotiated with the Malaysian Government over the past seven months, should be finalized in the coming weeks with the Australia covering all the terms of financing.
Minister of immigration Chris Bowen said that 300 million cost of $ Aus ($320 million) over four years.
The figure of 800 is a total one-time without attached time limit.
Thousands of head of asylum in Australia each year, usually on rickety boats of Indonesia, flooding already overcrowded immigration centres and encouraging the recent violent unrest in the often remote units.
Gillard had already suggested that regional treatment created in East Timor, but the idea was coldly received in Dili.
Friday, said media that his administration was considering reopening shelved centre of detention of Manus Island in Papua New Guinea to asylum seekers.
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