THE recent spraying of Dettol-brand disinfectant on the 156 undocumented immigrants who were detained at a settlement in Cyberjaya by the immigration authorities is cruel and inhumane, should not have happened to anyone in this day and age.
A number of Opposition lawmakers and non-governmental organisations had previously pled for the Government to put a moratorium on detaining undocumented migrants until the COVID-19 pandemic is under control.
But alas, the officers from multiple government departments, including immigration, police and civil defence force – had chosen to go ahead with the raid with little concern for its possible consequence, namely the overcrowding in detention centres which could possibly result in another surge in infections.
This goes without saying, therefore, that Home Affairs minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin must come forward to explain the reason for the actions, and condemn such actions to make sure that they do not happen again.
In the case of the 156 detainees that were sprayed down with disinfectant, the first thing that must be made clear from the get-go is the fact that no human being, illegal or otherwise, deserves to be treated that way.
Had the authorities wanted to disinfect the detainees, couldn’t they have found a better way to do so instead of rounding the detainees up like cattle and spraying them like that?
Immigration director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud was quoted by Malaysiakini as saying that he and other immigration officers were similarly sprayed down but that’s hardly the point.
The World Health Organisation (WHO)’s guidelines are clear on this: spraying of individuals with disinfectants is not recommended under any circumstances.
This practice could be physically and psychologically harmful and would not reduce an infected person’s ability to spread the virus through droplets or contact.
The toxic effect of spraying with chemicals, according to the guide, can lead to eye and skin irritation, bronchospasm due to inhalation, and potentially gastrointestinal effects such as nausea and vomiting.
To make matters worse, of the 156 that were detained including four children, with the youngest child being only four years old. Did the authorities even stop to think about the possible health implications on these children?
By carrying out the disinfectant exercise despite the guidelines supplied by WHO, it immediately becomes obvious that the authorities had failed to consult with the Health Ministry about what was to be done in terms of controlling the spread of the virus among the detainees.
In fact, the authorities’ lack of empathy and knowledge about how to best handle the situation is worrying, and it does make you wonder if the illegal immigrants who were detained in previous raids were also subjected to similar treatment.
Yes, the illegal workers are not only a security risk but also a potential health hazard, and something needs to be done lest they throw a wrench in the Government’s plans to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
But rounding them up and treating them like animals is definitely not the answer. – June 13, 2021
