Govt to improve admissions of convicts, illegals in efforts against Covid-19: Hamzah

SEMENYIH – The Home Ministry will improve the admission process for prisoners and illegal immigrants to reduce the spread of Covid-19 cases among inmates at prisons and Immigration depots, said its minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin.

He said that, so far, the government ensured that all prisoners and illegals were examined first before being placed in temporary detention centres to avoid the spread of the virus.

“The government is looking at ways to ensure cooperation with the Health Ministry. For example, if a nearby lock-up contacts a temporary detention centre to house its inmates, we will ensure that RTK antigen test results are obtained in just 15 to 20 minutes. 

“If there are those among them who are found positive, we will place them in quarantine,” he told a media conference after visiting the temporary Immigration depot at the Eco Millenium National Service Training Programme Camp in Beranang near here yesterday.

Hamzah said the ministry was also looking at additional plans to upgrade Immigration detention centres, especially in terms of facilities.

“The improvements include placing barbed wires for the buildings to prevent detainees from escaping,” he said, adding that the government was also considering increasing the number of temporary detention centres nationwide.

“Previously, the government planned to have 11 temporary detention centres, but only six are operational at the moment, while the four Immigration detention centres to date are adequate,” he said.

According to Hamzah, the temporary detention centres nationwide have so far been successful in curbing the spread of Covid-19 in prisons and Immigration depots.

“There have been only 48 positive Covid-19 cases in prisons nationwide, while at the Immigration depots, there have been only 30 individuals,” he said. – Bernama, June 4, 2021