The tsunami disaster has not spurred an influx of Acehnese refugees into Malaysia, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) today.

Its commissioner Volker Turk said the Kuala Lumpur-based agency is monitoring the situation and providing counseling to the Acehnese refugees here who have lost their loved ones back home.

"There are about 50 Achenese who come to us for registration daily as well as counseling," he added when contacted.

News reports place Indonesia's official death toll from the disaster at 113,306, with Aceh being the worst hit area.

Meanwhile, Turk also urged the Malaysian government to further delay its scheduled crackdown on illegal immigrants.

"Due to the disastrous situation in Aceh, nobody should be sent back there now. Many European countries have delayed deportation. I think the Malaysian government recognises (the situation) too," he said.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today Malaysia may again extend an amnesty for the illegal immigrants to let Indonesia focus on rehabilitating the province.

The amnesty was due to expire on Dec 31 but Malaysia last week extended it for a month amid fears that mass deportations would worsen the humanitarian crisis in Indonesia.

There are an estimated 1.2 million illegal immigrants in Malaysia, mainly from Indonesia, Burma and the Philippines.

Six-month appeal

In another development, UNHCR announced in Geneva today a six-month $75 million appeal to provide shelter, non-food aid and logistical support for hundreds of thousands of victims of the tsunami disaster.

"UNHCR has been hard at work on the ground since Dec 26 and we've already devoted considerable resources from our emergency reserves.

"Now we need our government donors to quickly step forward with the actual funding for this urgent work so we can keep the momentum going. Lives depend on it," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers.