WITH the Home Ministry adamant on cracking down on undocumented migrants during a pandemic crisis, an Opposition MP accused the ministry of trying to sabotage the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK).
“Undocumented migrants live and work among us. They live in low-cost housing areas and are employed in restaurants, shopping malls, plantation areas and others.
“If we want to achieve herd immunity, undocumented migrants must get vaccinated together with citizens. Obviously, the Government has no clue on how to manage a public health crisis,” Klang MP Charles Santiago told FocusM.
Despite criticism from various quarters including allies, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin persisted on his hardline stance against illegal immigrants in the country, saying a crackdown was needed to protect public interest.
On Jan 7, Immigration Department director general Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud said his agency had detained 156 immigrants in an integrated operation at an illegal settlement, located in Cyberjaya.
A total of 202 immigrants from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar and India, including 12 women and two children, were detained. Ranging from below four years of age to 50.
Training his guns against the Home Ministry, Santiago said that it was obvious that ministers in the Government were not talking to each other before making decisions.
“Now, illegal immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees are going to hide themselves from the authorities and will refuse to get inoculated out of fear,” he opined.
Santiago urged Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin to crack the whip and reprimand Hamzah for his rash behaviour.
No point praying if one lacks compassion
On that note, Santiago urged the Government to show compassionate towards asylum seekers and refugees at this point of time, especially Rohingyas who are in dire need of help.
He added that though Malaysia was not a signatory of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its Optional Protocol of 1967, the country had an “indirect policy” of providing some level of protection to asylum seekers and refugees.
“But now there is shift in policy victimising them, especially Rohingya. We should get them all vaccinated for our own good as well.
“There is no point for us to pray every single day but unable to show compassion to our suffering neighbours,” Santiago stated.
On related matter, Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) lashed out at the Government for portraying migrants, refugees and asylum seekers as a threat to the safety and security of the country and pose health risk to locals.
“We wish to reiterate that clear differentiation should be made between migrants (including those undocumented) and refugees/asylum seekers.
“Whilst migrant workers move to another country temporarily for economic reasons, refugees/asylum seekers are those who are unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, member of a particular social group or political opinion,” it stressed.
Suhakam also urged the Government to recognise the role played by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in protecting the rights of asylum seekers.
“It’s also important to recognise the role of UNHCR, and the issuance of UNHCR cards which affords refugees and asylum seekers with some protection and ‘legality’ to remain in the country,” the commission remarked. – June 15, 2021.
