Govt's hardline migrant stance partly to blame for Covid-19 surge - NGO
Human Rights Watch (HRW) deputy Asia director Phil Robertson took the Perikatan Nasional government to task for what he claimed as the ruling coalition's missteps which had resulted in a sharp rise of Covid-19 cases before the declaration of emergency.
Robertson said the Malaysian government's failure when it came to migrant workers' health is among the reasons why the country is in such a dire situation now.
"The Malaysian government made an early mistake, you know. Originally, the government encouraged the migrant workers (to come forward) to be tested...
Human Rights Watch (HRW) deputy Asia director Phil Robertson took the Perikatan Nasional government to task for what he claimed as the ruling coalition's missteps which had resulted in a sharp rise of Covid-19 cases before the declaration of emergency.
Robertson said the Malaysian government's failure when it came to migrant workers' health is among the reasons why the country is in such a dire situation now.
"The Malaysian government made an early mistake, you know. Originally, the government encouraged the migrant workers (to come forward) to be tested, recognising that the virus would not care if they are Malaysians of foreigners.
"Instead, the government turned around and detained undocumented migrant workers. By doing that, it was basically telling the migrant workers to run when they see Malaysian officers coming. This was basically subverting public health by making people afraid of being arrested," he told a virtual press conference at the launching of HRW's World Report 2021 in Bangkok this evening.
Robertson said that was a step that should have been avoided in the middle of a pandemic.
"What we want is to prioritise public health.
"I think the failure of the government of Malaysia, particular when it comes to migrant workers' health, is one of the reasons why the country is such a dire situation now," he said.
When asked if the Malaysian government is treating the migrant workers better than last year where migrant workers were rounded and raided amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, Robertson responded that no significant improvements were seen.
"We have not seen a significant improvement in the migrant workers from the Malaysian government," he said.
Robertson added that the declaration of a state of emergency which included the suspension of Parliament is a violation of rights.
"The failure of protecting the migrant workers' rights, sort of expanding to a wider violation of rights, that's very disappointing," he said.
Arresting undocumented migrants
In March 2020, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob urged the migrant workers involved in the tabligh cluster to come forward for Covid-19 test. He assured migrant workers that the government would not focus on the validity of their travel documents.
On April 29, 2020, Ismail Sabri was reportedly said all illegal immigrants found in areas under an enhanced movement control order (MCO) would be sent to detention centres when the MCO ended.
In May last year, the government came under fire for raiding and arresting the undocumented migrant workers and refugees. Civil society had raised concerns over overcrowding immigration detention centres which carried a high risk of a Covid-19 outbreak.
Malaysia has about 1.7 million migrant workers and approximately over a million undocumented migrant workers.
The government had made it compulsory for employers to have all of their migrant workers for Covid-19 screening since December 2020.
The 761-page HRW's World Report 2021 also highlighted how the migrants and refugees who lost their jobs due to pandemic were excluded from the government's Covid-19 aid programme. Many were unable to feed their families.
"At least 17 migrants from Myanmar committed suicide between March and September," according to the report.
The report said the PN government took a hard line on refugees where the authorities pushed boatloads of desperate Rohingya refugees who were trying to reach Malaysia's shores back out to sea, claiming that they were doing so to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
"Those that have been permitted to land have been detained as 'illegal migrants', with some prosecuted for immigration violations. Even children have been detained in 'shelters' and threatened with prosecution.
"Malaysia did little to stop a vicious online hate speech campaign against Rohingya refugees in the country in April," the report noted.
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