Bar: Give free Covid-19 screening and treatment to migrants, refugees
CORONAVIRUS | The Malaysian Bar has urged the government to allow all migrants and refugees access to free screening and treatment for Covid-19 without fear of arrest and detention.
In a media statement issued this afternoon, its president Salim Bashir (above) said this following the government’s call to all foreign attendees of the Sri Petaling tabligh gathering to volunteer themselves to be screened without fear of arrest.
“We urge the government to take a proactive humanitarian stand and allow all migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, regardless of their status, access to free screening and treatment for Covid-19 without the fear of arrest and detention...
“During these challenging times, it is imperative that the government extends compassion towards migrants and refugees which represent one of the most vulnerable groups of people in the country.
CORONAVIRUS | The Malaysian Bar has urged the government to allow all migrants and refugees access to free screening and treatment for Covid-19 without fear of arrest and detention.
In a media statement issued this afternoon, its president Salim Bashir (above) said this following the government’s call to all foreign attendees of the Sri Petaling tabligh gathering to volunteer themselves to be screened without fear of arrest.
“We urge the government to take a proactive humanitarian stand and allow all migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, regardless of their status, access to free screening and treatment for Covid-19 without the fear of arrest and detention.
“During these challenging times, it is imperative that the government extends compassion towards migrants and refugees which represent one of the most vulnerable groups of people in the country.
“We do not want to see a situation where persons uncertain of their immigration status are afraid to come forward for screening or seek treatment when they become ill.
“Providing migrants and refugees with assurances that they need not fear arrest and detention will go a long way to encourage those who are infected and ill from coming forward.
“Contagious diseases such as Covid-19 know no boundaries, nationalities or legal status. It is unfortunate that due to inadequate housing and sanitary facilities, many migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers find themselves living in crowded dwellings - the perfect breeding grounds for the virus,” Salim said.
He added that the Malaysian Bar expressed gratitude to the medical frontliners, law enforcement agencies and all those working in essential services for braving this pandemic and continuing to work to keep society functioning, and expressed condolences to the families of those who were infected with the coronavirus and passed away as a result.
On March 22, Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob called for all undocumented migrants who attended the tabligh gathering at Sri Petaling Mosque last month to come forward and get themselves screened for Covid-19.
The senior minister gave the assurance that the migrants need not worry about their status as the government has agreed not to look at their status nor take any action for being in the country illegally.
