Some foreign nationals being held at the Juru detention centre in Seberang Perai, Penang, have told the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) that they were cheated by agents who have since been untraceable.

Suhakam commissioner Mohd Hamdan Adnan, who visited the centre as part of an outreach programme on Saturday, said the detainees were being held for violating immigration regulations.

"They said they had been misled...that they had paid much money for their work permits to be extended but only came to realise these were fakes when apprehended by the authorities.

"Worse, they said they could not contact or trace their agents as most of them have gone missing," he added.

Other complaints were that agents or employers were holding the detainees' passports and that the remand period was causing the detainees much misery.

"We urge the relevant authorities to take stern action against the culprits who have lied to the foreign workers.

"These unscrupulous agents and employers have contributed to tarnishing and smearing our country's image," said the commissioner.

Poor health

Currently, there are 156 detainees from 12 different countries - 92 males and 60 females - at the centre. There are five children and four infants.

Hamdan said the visit was conducted in response to complaints about the poor health and 'death' of detainees.

"But we found out that the (sole) death was due to an accident the detainee had sustained before being taken to the centre. Some are suffering from skin disease," he explained.

"According to the authorities, a local health department officer visits the centre twice a month to check and treat detainees."

He added that one detainee had alleged that police personnel had extorted money from him, and then arrested him for bribery when he handed over the money.

SUSAN LOONE is malaysiakini's Penang-based stringer.