Two Filipino babies detained in M'sia to be deported, Immigration Department confirms

KUALA LUMPUR — Two undocumented Filipino babies have been held at the Bukit Jalil Immigration Detention Centre for almost three weeks, the immigrant and women’s rights group Tenaganita alleged in a statement on Tuesday (July 2).

The non-governmental organisation’s executive director Glorene Dass said that the mothers of the two babies are distraught as they have been given no access to see their children for 20 days.

Tenaganita had claimed that the Immigration Department continued to detain two Filipino babies not even 2-years-old despite repeated intervention from Putrajaya.

The department’s director-general, Mr Khairul Dzaimee Daud, subsequently said the babies will be released and deported back to their home country on Wednesday.

“The babies will be released and deported to their country by tomorrow, July 3, 2019,” he said in a short reply to Malay Mail, when contacted.

Mr Khairul also insisted that basic facilities are also provided for children who are detained at the centre, and shared several photos of children playing in the nursery room at the centre.

Malaysia’s Women, Family and Community Development deputy minister Hannah Yeoh on Tuesday expressed disappointment with the children’s continued detention.

Speaking to Malay Mail, Ms Yeoh said children should not be put in such a situation, let alone infants less than two years old.

“Children do not belong in detention centres,” Yeoh said in a short reply.

She added that her ministry has been called in to help secure the release of the babies by immigrants and women’s right group, Tenaganita, adding that the ministry’s team is working on the case.

According to Ms Dass, the babies were detained during an immigration raid at Plaza Indah Apartment Kajang on the night of June 13, 2019 and the children’s mothers were informed by the Immigration Department that their babies can be sent back to Philippines together with them, should they not have travel documents issued by the Philippines Embassy.

She added that the investigation officer from the Investigation and Enforcement Unit of the Immigration Department had informed that the deportation order and other necessary documents had already been prepared and sent to Bukit Jalil Immigration Detention Centre on June 27.

However, she lamented that as of 3pm on Tuesday, officers at the detention centre claimed to have no knowledge of such a deportation order.

She urged the authorities to expedite the release of the babies to their mothers or any shelters which are equipped to care for the children, until the Immigration Department provides the necessary documents for the children’s deportation. MALAY MAIL