Thousands of Acehnese who took refuge in Malaysia following years of separatist conflict and the 2004 tsunami, have been granted extended permits to stay for another two years, an official said.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post on the phone over the weekend, Nangroe Aceh Darussalam Governor Irwandi Yusuf said the extended permits were issued after talks with Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak in Malaysia, on Thursday.

"They can stay until 2010," said Irwandi, noting this was the third time the administration had requested Malaysia to grant permit extensions for Acehnese refugees.

"This is the last time. We will ask no more extensions. We feel ashamed," Irwandi said.

Irwandi says there are 24,000 Acehnese refugees in Malaysia, working mostly in plantations and as informal sector vendors.

There were about 36,000 Acehnese who fled to Malaysia and stayed illegally. They were granted special permits to stay.

These passes expired in 2005, but were renewed until August 2008 and subsequently renewed until 2010.

Irwandi expressed hope that Acehnese in Malaysia would now comply with the regulations and avoid committing crimes.

Irwandi called on them to use the remaining two years to obtain the legal documents needed to stay and work there. He said his government was ready to help them get proper papers.

Then, he said, they would no longer be considered illegal immigrants and would be able to find legal jobs.

Provincial government, he said, is also preparing to open palm plantations in Aceh to accommodate those returnees.

He could not force migrants to return to Aceh since the province "had not yet fully recovered from the 2004 tsunami that killed over 200,000 people and from the 37-year separatist conflict," he said.

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