GEORGE TOWN – Amnesty International is outraged that Malaysia defied an interim court injunction that barred the deportation of Myanmar nationals to their home country.
Its executive director for Malaysia Katrina Jorene Maliamauv said that the group will liaise with its lawyers to see what its next legal action would be.
A hearing on the matter has been scheduled at the Kuala Lumpur High Court for tomorrow.
Asked if it will file a committal proceeding against the plaintiff, Katrina told The Vibes that it is up to the lawyers’ discretion.
“The Malaysian government’s decision to deport people in defiance of an order from the high court today is inhumane and devastating.
The Immigration Department deported 1,086 Myanmar nationals earlier today despite an interim court injunction by the Kuala Lumpur High Court, which barred the department from doing so.
“We believed that with a court order, those due to be deported would be safe, so we are shocked that the government went ahead with it.
“It appears that authorities railroaded this shockingly cruel deportation before proper scrutiny of the decision and in spite of week-long calls for a proper assessment.
“The authorities’ earlier claims that there were no asylum seekers in the group was patently false. Now there are still huge, deeply concerning question marks over the statuses of those sent back today.
“It is appalling that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was not given the chance to access the group, much like it has been denied access to immigration detention centres since August 2019.
This decision has affected the lives of more than a thousand people and their families, and leaves an indelible stain on Malaysia’s human rights record, already in steep decline over the past year, she said.
Katrina said tomorrow’s court hearing, which will still take place, must reveal answers about what has occurred.
Katrina added that authorities must restore United Nations access to detention centres and allow it to carry out its life-saving work.
“Detention solely for immigration control should not be allowed to continue, and the government must work towards the release of those detained for this reason.
“Refugees and asylum seekers looking for safety must be allowed to seek protection in a country like Malaysia.
“We cannot continue to deny the basic humanity of those who have sought work or safety on our shores.” – The Vibes, February 23, 2021
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