Reforms movement Aliran said the government should repair its human rights image by resolving the human rights abuse done to refugees and asylum seekers as this was incompatible with Malaysia's membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Aliran said that despite the presence of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the country, those given 'protective' documentation continue to be harassed and victimised by police, immigration enforcement personnel and Rela (volunteer reserve force).

"The government's answer to the problem of undocumented migrants is to resort to cruel, in human and degrading treatment."

"Periodic crackdowns have proven futile, what does the government hope to achieve by persisting with such methods?" asked the Penang-based organisation.

It stressed that refugees are not illegal immigrants because they risk arbitrary detention, torture and death should they return home.

"Since Oct 1 we have received reports that Rela has conducted raids at three different places where mostly Chin asylum seekers from Burma were staying."

"All three raids were conducted around 3am and 4am when most of them were asleep and scores of them were arrested and detained," it stated.

Aliran also criticised Home Minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad's manner in dealing with rising numbers of child migrant deaths and indiscriminate detentions.

"If they have to sleep on floors right next to one another, so be it. But we do not feel nice about making them do this so we need to find more space for them," Radzi was quoted as saying in media report recently.

Deaths in deportation

Aliran has also called on for Suhakam (Human Rights Commission Malaysia) to look into how migrants are harassed and detained by Rela and the conditions at all detention centres.

This follows Amnesty International's 2006 report that 'periodic reports of abuses and the authorities failure to provide adequate medical care, food and clean water in some detention centres and police cells were reported'.

Also, overcrowded detention centres and deaths of detainees have also emerged such as the death of two Filipino children during deportation.

Despite it's obligation to uphold and respect the terms and provision of the United Nations Charter in the promotion and protection of human rights of all people, Malaysia has yet to ratify the 1951 Refugees Convention.

It's term on the Human Rights Council which started this year, ends in 2009.