Sufficient Space Available At Detention Depots To Accomodate Detained Illegal Immigrants – JIM

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Bernama) – The current capacity of the Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) detention depots is still sufficient to accommodate undocumented migrants detained following enforcement operations nationwide, said its Director-General Datuk Zakaria Shaaban.

He said JIM manages 21 depots with a total capacity of over 21,000 people and currently still has about 500 remaining vacant space, in addition to daily deportation processes that ensure space is constantly available.

"Every day there are deportations, about 200 to 300 people. There are also arrests every day. So, this figure will fluctuate, but we ensure the depots always have capacity," he said at a press conference during the JIM Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (WPKL) Deepavali Celebration ceremony, here today.

He added that the largest composition of detainees in the depots are Myanmar nationals, numbering 8,884 people, including 5,102 ethnic Rohingya, followed by Filipinos (4,727) and Indonesians (3,838).

Zakaria said the department is also in the process of preparing the necessary isolation and logistics centers before the implementation of the Refugee Registration Document (DPP) for refugees, which is expected to begin as early as this January.

"Currently, we rely on data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), where we cannot ascertain whether the data released is accurate or not, and our observation suggests the number (of refugees) is likely more than what has been reported to us.

"So the government has decided to conduct a re-registration of all refugees, including the Rohingya, and we already have the subsequent direction after this registration... the Minister of Home Affairs or the Prime Minister himself may make an announcement on the way forward," he said.

In the meantime, he said that 60 JIM officers have been dismissed for various offences, including corruption, while 301 others have faced action, including departmental transfers and suspensions for disciplinary cases from 2022 until this year.

Meanwhile, commenting on the recent boat capsize incident involving ethnic Rohingya in Kedah, Zakaria said his department is assisting with documentation and verification of the victims' nationalities, while investigations into potential criminal aspects and human smuggling are being carried out by the police.

"Some of the individuals found alive did not possess any documents, necessitating JIM to obtain confirmation of their country of origin before further action can be taken," he said.

-- BERNAMA