KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution today urged people to not jump to conclusions after a video clip and several pictures emerged of emaciated men, allegedly detainees at the Kimanis Immigration depot in Sabah, appealing for help.
He said it was not fair to immediately blame the authorities before investigating the matter.
Responding to the video clip during a press conference today, Saifuddin said that it would be premature to assume that the condition of the detainees in the clip was due to the treatment at the said immigration detention facility.
“I have been informed by the department about this, sometimes if we overplay this issue it is not fair. First, let’s look at the subject, whether he is an ordinary citizen who practices a healthy lifestyle.
“Then does he also follow or was involved in unhealthy activities that cause his physical condition to be skinny? That weight loss is not because he was detained, it probably happened before he was detained,” he said after his first visit to the Immigration Department headquarters in Putrajaya.
Asked whether the Home Ministry will investigate the matter, he insisted that the effort to ensure the safety of its detention facilities is an ongoing affair.
“Based on the briefing earlier, this is an ongoing effort that we don’t have to schedule or anything like that.
“It is a continuous effort that means the existence of this department is not just in a cold room. They are committed to carrying out their responsibilities and they are present when the moment is needed,” he added.
Yesterday, it was reported that a clip of an emaciated man allegedly a detainee of Kimanis immigration depot appealed to Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and state immigration director Datuk Sitti Saleha Habib Yusoff to release them.
