PUTRAJAYA, March 8 — Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today said he would investigate Human Rights Watch’s claims of detainee abuse at immigration detention centres if the group were to provide evidence for this.
Rejecting the group’s allegations contained in its “We Can’t See the Sun: Malaysia’s Arbitrary Detention of Migrants and Refugees” report published two days ago, the minister also denied there was a lack of healthcare access for immigration detainees.
“I invite Human Rights Watch, who made this report, to meet me, to give the correct numbers,
“In regards to abuse and and death: how many, who, where did it happen, and because it mentioned that death occurred, say their names.
“And I will not delay to conduct investigation. Our principle is to protect the basic rights of each human,” he said.
On a related allegation that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was being prevented from meeting immigration detainees, he said the group could do so but must apply for approval
“If UNHCR needs to visit, by all means, we will open the doors, but there is a process,” Saifuddin said.
Last month, Immigration director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said a total of 10,467 undocumented migrants have been detained out of 19,873 screened between January and February this year. A total of 4,639 have been repatriated, while 75 employers have been arrested for employing them.
