Suhakam commissioner wrong about immigration depots capacity, says DG

 

As of April 24, the total number of detainees at the Lenggeng depot was 779, says Khairul Dzaimee Daud. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: The immigration department has denied claims of overcrowded and understaffed immigration depots as alleged by the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam).

In a statement, immigration director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud disagreed that the Lenggeng immigration depot in Negeri Sembilan is overcrowded, and three other depots are understaffed, as claimed by Suhakam’s children’s commissioner Noor Aziah Mohd Awal in a Berita Harian report published yesterday.

“The Suhakam children’s commissioner’s statement is not based on facts and does not paint an accurate picture of the management of immigration depots across the country,” he said.

“The total detention capacity at the Lenggeng immigration depot is 1,000 people, of which 800 are male and 200 female.

“As of April 24, the total number of detainees at the depot was 779, comprising 583 men, 173 women, 15 boys and eight girls.”

In the Berita Harian report, Noor Aziah claimed that Suhakam’s monitoring visits found that the Lenggeng immigration depot was overcrowded and understaffed, with the Langkawi and Belantik immigration depots also having insufficient manpower.

Meanwhile, Khairul revealed that all 21 immigration depots across the country, including three temporary immigration depots, can hold up to 21,150 people.

He said that as of April 24, the total number of detainees in these depots was 17,624 people, comprising 12,895 men, 3,211 women, 851 boys and 677 girls.

“All detainees who are children are housed with their guardians,” he said.

Khairul also said that the immigration department reviewed staffing requirements for all depots in 2019 after taking into account the needs of the officers, adding that the department is filling vacancies – including in detention depots – on an ongoing basis.

Several human rights groups and activists have alleged that a recent breakout by more than 500 Rohingya refugees from an immigration depot in Kedah was proof that overcrowding is an issue at detention centres.

In the 4.30am incident last Wednesday, 528 Rohingya detainees escaped from the Sungai Bakap immigration detention depot near Bandar Baharu, Kedah.

Two children were among the six refugees killed while trying to cross the North-South Expressway near Jawi. - FMT