BANDAR BAHARU: The Rohingya detainees that are still at large after they escaped from the temporary Immigration Detention Depot in Sungai Bakap, Penang, were deemed dangerous as they will do anything to save themselves.
Kedah police chief Commissioner Wan Hassan Wan Ahmad said in a state of hunger, this group was feared would break into houses or resort to desperate actions to survive.
"There is a concern that the group will resort to crime including breaking into or stealing from residents' houses. They may also act out of control to survive," he told a press conference at Bandar Baharu District Police Headquarters today.
He said investigations were ongoing to identify the root cause of the incident and did not rule out the possibility of discontentment that led to the riot.
However, the element of discontentment was based on a preliminary investigation. We will find the real cause of the incident as we investigate further.
"The case is being investigated under Section 147 and 224 of the Penal Code," he said.
Wan Hassan said investigations revealed that at the time of the incident, there were 23 Immigration Department staff who were on duty to control the depot area.
"However, no injuries were reported during the riot, with only minor damage to the main gate and the fence.
"Due to the situation where too many detainees in a relatively narrow area, it became uncontrollable and the detainees took the opportunity to escape," he said.
He added that 176 out of 528 Rohingya detainees were still on the run and believed to be in the vicinity.
"Those who are still at large are mostly barefoot and relatively easy to identify based on what they are wearing.
"Anyone with information regarding the escapees should contact the police," he said.
Wan Hassan said the police had launched Op Cantas, which also involved the Penang police, to track down detainees who were still at large.
He also said six escapees; consisting of two men, two women and two children- a boy and a girl were killed in an accident on the North-South Expressway near Jawi, while trying to escape from the immigration detention depot.