A Rohingya activist claimed that over 2,000 Rohingya children are locked in immigration centres in Malaysia, ‘growing up behind bars instead of classrooms’. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: The home ministry has rejected allegations of inhumane treatment of migrant children and refugees, including those from the Rohingya community.
In a Bernama report, the ministry said claims that migrant children were being detained without protection or denied basic welfare did not reflect the government’s efforts in managing undocumented migrants and refugees.
It said Baitul Mahabbah was established as an interim measure to provide more suitable temporary accommodation for children aged 12 and below, together with their guardians.
Under the programme, the children are transferred from conventional immigration detention depots while documentation, status verification and other arrangements are being carried out.
“At Baitul Mahabbah, they are placed in a more conducive environment and provided with their basic needs, safety and healthcare, as well as access to informal educational activities, basic guidance and recreational spaces suited to their age and circumstances,” it was quoted as saying in a statement.
The ministry said the facility would also serve as a transitional measure while the government develops a more comprehensive “alternative-to-detention framework” for children in collaboration with the women, family and community development ministry, strategic government partners and NGOs.
“At the same time, the government plans to expand the scope and capacity of Baitul Mahabbah in phases, including to accommodate children in other age groups, subject to facility suitability, security considerations, child protection requirements and the capacity of implementing agencies,” it said.
The ministry also called on countries of origin, international organisations and regional partners to take greater responsibility in addressing the root causes of forced migration, including dismantling human trafficking and migrant smuggling syndicates.
“In many situations, children become victims of syndicate networks that exploit conflict, poverty and the absence of long-term solutions in their countries of origin,” it said.
The statement follows the circulation of an old video of Rohingya activist Noor Azizah speaking at a graduation ceremony at an Australian university.
In the clip, she is heard saying: “In Malaysia today, over 2,000 Rohingya children are locked up in immigration centres, growing up behind bars instead of classrooms.”
According to the UNHCR, about 215,600 refugees and asylum seekers are registered in Malaysia. Of these, 193,824 are from Myanmar, including 126,144 Rohingya.