CORONAVIRUS | Migrant rights group Tenaganita has raised concern over this morning's Immigration Department raid on hundreds of undocumented migrants, including refugees, in Selayang.
Referring to several photographs of the raid, Tenaganita community mobiliser Hasnah Hussin noted the large number of people arrested and a lack of compliance to social distancing guidelines.
"I know they would have gone through Covid-19 checks but are we 110 percent sure that everyone who came out of their houses today is not infected?" she told Malaysiakini when contacted.
Hasnah said she was alerted of the situation by Rohingya women living in the Pusat Bandar Utara enhanced movement control order (MCO) areas around the Kuala Lumpur wholesale market.
"Everyone had to come out of their houses until the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) verified their identity.
"There were mass arrests against those with no valid documentation or UNHCR cards," said Hasnah, adding that others were allowed to return home.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Mazlan Lazim earlier confirmed the Immigration Department joint operation took place early this morning, reportedly from 6am to 10am.
The move comes as the enhanced MCO is expected to be lifted in two days, on May 13.
Other agencies involved were the People's Volunteer Corp (Rela), Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Health Department and other related agencies.
Hasnah added she was informed by the refugees that their families had been left out of government food aid and supplies distributed to other residents in the area.
"They informed me that they have not received any food or any help for the past three weeks," said Hasnah, who also claimed that the refugees were threatened with arrest by authorities on duty when they attempted to ask for food.
"When they tried to speak, they were told, 'you will get more food in detention camps, and you will be arrested'," she said.
In the past, Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had denied claims of mistreatment against migrant communities in enhanced MCO areas, saying instead they were given the same food aid as Malaysian citizens.
Ismail, who is also senior minister in charge of the security cluster, further defended the government's crackdown, arguing that undocumented migrants had committed an offence under Malaysia's law and should not be allowed to walk free after the enhanced MCO have been lifted. - Mkini
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