The Malaysian government's plan to deport thousands of undocumented migrant workers by early next year may lead to widespread rights abuses, the US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said today.

In a statement, it said "refugees and victims of human trafficking may be caught up in the sweeps and deported instead of receiving protection" during the process.

It also pointed out that there was potential for human rights abuses such as "the use of excessive force during immigration raids and the prolonged detention of migrants in unsanitary conditions".

"When Malaysia conducted mass deportations two years ago , dozens of migrant workers died of dehydration and disease while stranded in transit areas for months," said women's rights division executive director LaShawn R Jefferson.

She said the deportation exercise will only drive refugees and victims of trafficking deeper underground and put them at greater risk of exploitation, including the withholding of wages due to them.

Malaysia has an estimated 1.2 million illegal immigrants from Indonesia, Burma, Bangladesh, India and the Philippines, drawn by jobs in the construction, plantation and services sectors.

They include about 28,000 refugees and asylum seekers who have fled human rights violations and political instability in their countries, especially Burma and the Indonesian province of Aceh.

However, the government recently gave the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Kuala Lumpur an assurance that registered refugees - of whom about 10,000 are Acehnese and another 10,000 are Rohingya Muslims - will not be affected.

'Ominous move'

As there is speculation that personnel from the volunteer police reserve corps may be involved in arresting undocumented foreigners under the deportation exercise, HRW has urged the Home Ministry to "rescind the ominous move".

"Allowing civilian groups to conduct immigration raids and arrests encourages vigilantism and undermines the rule of law," said Jefferson.

She also cited the likelihood of migrants, especially domestic workers, being "swept up in these raids with little protection".

"HRW has previously reported that Indonesian domestic workers in Malaysia often work gruelling 16-18 hour days, seven days a week, and earn less than 25 US cents (RM1) per hour. Some suffer physical or sexual abuse at the hands of their employers," Jefferson added.

Malaysia and Indonesia recently shelved plans to create a labour agreement guiding the recruitment and protection of domestic workers.

Last month, Malaysia extended an amnesty for undocumented foreigners to leave after receiving a request by the Indonesian government. Thousands left, but not in the numbers expected, and will only be allowed to return if they have valid papers.

Illegal immigrants who are arrested under routine operations are subjected to a 14-day investigation process after which they can be charged under the Immigration Act 2002.

Those found guilty may be fined or jailed and caned, and deported. HRW called for the law to be amended, claiming that some 9,000 migrants were caned last year.