KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — A year after the launch of the Baitul Mahabbah initiative, a group called End Detention Network (EDN) has raised concerns about the ongoing detention of children in these centres.

EDN stated that these centres still deprive children of their liberty, constituting another form of detention — despite the initiative's aim of removing children from immigration depots and provide them with more humane care.

“The centres continue to operate under strict immigration laws and procedures, which does not align with the commitment to provide a more conducive environment for the children,” EDN said in a press release today.

It said as of July 2024, there were 170 children in Baitul Mahabbah centres nationwide, with no alternative exit plans besides repatriation.

Some children, including refugees, have been held in these facilities for nearly a year, with no plans for their release. EDN pointed out that there has been no evaluation to determine whether these centres benefit children’s well-being or are an efficient use of resources.

The group said despite this, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced plans to open six more Baitul Mahabbah centres by December 2024 and establish at least six more in 2025.

The press release highlighted the lack of screening mechanisms in place to verify asylum claims, as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has no access to these centres.

Additionally, children aged 11 to 17 remain in immigration detention centres with adults, as Baitul Mahabbah currently only accommodates children aged 10 and below.

In April, Saifuddin said that 300 foreign children under the age of 10 had been placed in three Baitul Mahabbah centres managed by the Immigration Department in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan; Papar, Sabah; and Miri, Sarawak.

He also announced plans to open more centres by renovating existing premises with a RM10 million allocation.

In May, Saifuddin opened a new Baitul Mahabbah centre in Sarawak, which can accommodate up to 100 children.

He mentioned that 62 out of 239 undocumented foreign children placed in Baitul Mahabbah had been repatriated to their home countries.