According to Immigration Dept, govt spends over RM89m annually on detainee welfare
PETALING JAYA: Alliance for a Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said keeping immigration detainees, including children, comes with a heavy price tag, adding that the government’s human rights obligations make prolonged detention a strain on public resources.
He said authorities must continue providing daily care and welfare for detainees, a responsibility that becomes increasingly challenging as numbers rise and detention periods lengthen.
He was referring to the annoucement by the Home Ministry in the Dewan Rakyat recently that more than 2,000 children are being held in immigration depots nationwide.
According to the Immigration Department, the government spends about RM89 million a year on meals for detainees, at approximately RM15 per day for each individual, excluding other costs such as electricity, medical care and operations, with spending varying as detainee numbers fluctuate.
“Against this backdrop, I urge the government to consider repatriating detainees as a more sustainable solution.
“While embassies are usually informed of their citizens’ detention, deportation faces practical obstacles, including (questions about) who would bear the cost, as many detainees cannot afford their return and foreign embassies may be unable or unwilling to cover it.”
He also raised concerns over overcrowding at detention centres, adding that prolonged confinement could worsen conditions, particularly for children.
Lee said it was not advisable for minors to be housed along with adult detainees, as it could expose them to safety and psychological risks.
“Young detainees, some as young as 12, are sometimes held together with adult men, exposing them to potential risks and dangers. While it is not advisable for children to remain in these conditions, repatriation could alleviate both financial and safety concerns.”
He highlighted that keeping large numbers of detainees for prolonged periods also carries security risks, with past incidents in which detainees attempted to escape.
“The issue of illegal immigrants held in detention centres has persisted for more than a decade, with repeated large-scale enforcement operations resulting in detainees being housed nationwide.
“The government should explore practical and viable ways to expedite repatriation while balancing humanitarian concerns with cost, safety and public interest.”
As of Aug 31, 2,196 children were detained, making up 11% of the 20,143 undocumented migrants currently in custody at 18 immigration depots and two temporary facilities.
The latest figure indicates a sharp rise from the last available figures from the Home Ministry, which in 2023 said there were more than 1,300 children held in immigration depots.
On Saturday, theSun reported that Human Rights Commission of Malaysia children’s commissioner Dr Farah Nini Dusuki said Malaysia’s continued detention of more than 2,000 children in immigration depots violates the child protection obligations of the country.
“The child protection principle under Article 37(b) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) states that detention must be a last resort, for the shortest possible time and in the best interests of the child. The current situation falls short of this standard.”
The commission also highlighted gaps in the implementation of the United Nation’s Nelson Mandela Rules, including overcrowding, limited space for daily activities, inadequate access to education and healthcare and poor hygiene.
Boys aged 12 to 17 are reportedly held together with adult male detainees, a practice that violates both the Nelson Mandela Rules and Article 37(c) of the CRC.
She said alternatives to detention remain inadequate, and the commission continues to urge the government to adopt community-based approaches involving agencies, NGOs and local networks.
“We are ready to work with the government to implement solutions aligned with international human rights standards.”
