KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry has refuted the allegations made by the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report concerning torture and deaths in immigration detention depots in the country.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail described the report as highly irresponsible.
He said the country strictly adhered to the law, guided by compassion and humanity.
"Last year, we spent RM123 million managing all 20 depots nationwide, with meal expenses alone totalling RM80 million, including covering ferry and airfare costs for deportation.
"That is how we take care (of the detainees), yet HRW reports that we torture them to death," he said during the minister's question and answer session in Dewan Rakyat today.
Saifuddin was responding to Lim Guan Eng (PH - Bagan) regarding the allegation made by HRW criticising the government for oppressing refugee groups in overcrowded detention centres, leading to deaths among the vulnerable and children.
As a result of this report, Saifuddin said, the Parliamentary Special Committee (PSC) had called the ministry and the Immigration Department to answer this question, as well as HRW to clarify.
"It is understood that when asked for proof of where the said torture and death took place, not a single piece of evidence could be presented but the report has already been presented to the world," he said.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin said there were 20 immigration depots in our country with a capacity of 20,650 as of March 7, 2024.
With the current occupancy standing at 13,625, he said, this indicated an under capacity, hence dismissing the claims made by HRW in its report that the depot was overcrowded.
"Let the numbers speak for themselves. Is there overcrowding? The answer is no," he said.
Of the numbers, Myanmar recorded the highest with 4,541 detainees, followed by Indonesia (3,797), the Philippines (2,914), Bangladesh (1,000), Thailand (329) and others 1,054.
He added that the detainees consisted of individuals who had completed their prison sentences for various offences as determined by Malaysian courts while awaiting deportation.
"The Immigration Department has to liaise with foreign embassies to arrange travel documents. The sooner the travel documents are provided, the sooner they can be repatriated.
"Secondly, they are apprehended under various immigration and passport laws, such as overstaying, abuse of passes, and being undocumented," he said.
He said there were also United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cardholders who committed offences under the law, including drug-related crimes, rape, murder, and theft of rare earth minerals in Sik, Kedah.