Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has called on various stakeholders to assist government efforts in upholding children's rights in immigration detention and expediting their release from 19 depots nationwide.
At the policy level, Saifuddin said his ministry is in the final stages of drafting a cabinet paper with follow-up proposals to his initial plan of moving children currently in detention into external shelters.
"Yesterday (Friday), during the ministry's breaking fast function in Kedah, the prime minister had inquired on the progress of this process.
"I informed him that we are fine-tuning our cabinet paper that involves discussions with various stakeholders," he said, citing input from prominent individuals including former foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar, humanitarian Dr Jemilah Mahmood, and Suhakam, among others.
According to Saifuddin, there are currently 1,030 children in immigration custody - 579 boys and 451 girls - of which the majority or 679 children are unaccompanied by an adult. The remaining were detained with either one or both parents.
"The idea for children to be taken out of detention, whether with cooperation from NGOs, the Welfare Department or others, must be received on their part.
"It cannot be the sole duty of the government," said Saifuddin during a pre-dawn press conference at the Semenyih immigration depot.
"There are many NGOs who voiced their concerns, so they can be involved. We are trying to see how they can be involved," he said.
In addressing such concerns, Saifuddin said the government is guided by its principle to balance both the aspect of national security and humanitarian grounds.
Resettlement plans
Asked about refugee children with no clear resettlement plans, Saifuddin said more suggestions to facilitate their release are welcomed, including from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Saifuddin, who toured the Semenyih depot accompanied by Immigration director-general Ruslin Jusoh and other officers, said among its 435 detainees include a one-month-old baby born in custody to a Myanmar national awaiting deportation.
With a first-hand view of the current situation, Saifuddin cited ongoing efforts to improve the conditions of those remaining in the government's care.
"Officers at this depot understand that the basic principle is that we are moving towards releasing them (children) from here.
"But in the meantime, there are issues that we must give attention to, for example, to provide supplies of milk and medical care," he said, adding that this includes ensuring babies receive all the required vaccinations either by doctors on-site or at external clinics.
This is on top of RM450 per month for the food costs of each individual detainee, for five meals per day.
On the issue of access to education, Saifuddin, who noted criticisms from various migrant rights groups, said there are now five Immigration depots including in Semenyih that operates a basic classroom to teach basic reading skills.
Malaysia's handling of children in detention had in recent months attracted international scrutiny following a multi-agency Immigration Department-led raid at a migrant settlement in Nilai Spring, Negeri Sembilan, where among those arrested include 36 children.
Authorities at the time also uncovered a makeshift school for migrant children being prepared for integration with the Indonesian national school system once they returned home permanently.
Following the raid in February, Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) reprimanded the Immigration Department for not complying with the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
Documentation process
Saifuddin today said he had engaged with governments of migrant source countries through their missions here, as well as during recent official overseas visits, to expedite the issuance of travel documents for purposes of release and deportation.
"So far, we can commend the Indonesian Embassy here for its speed in expediting the deportation process," he said, resulting in Indonesians forming the largest group of migrants comprising 5,571 individuals from the total 10,625 deported between January and April this year.
He added that other measures taken by the government include processing documentation of migrants still serving time in jail so that they can be deported shortly upon release.
Today's visit ended with sahur (early dawn meal) and the distribution of new Hari Raya outfits for the children. - Mkini
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