Immigration Dept Redistributing Rohingya Detainees To Prevent Breakouts

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 2 (Bernama) -- The Immigration Department is redistributing the 2,675 Rohingya detainees held at 12 depots throughout the country to prevent them from breaking out of these centres.

Immigration director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said the number of Rohingya detainees in a particular block would be reduced and they would also be mixed with detainees from countries like Indonesia and Bangladesh.

He said this was among the preliminary measures and immediate standard operating procedure implemented in the wake of last night's incident where 131 illegal immigrants escaped from the men's block of the Temporary Immigration Depot in Bidor.

“This is to reduce the chances of their (Rohingya detainees) acting aggressively. When gathered together in large numbers, they tend to act aggressively,” he told a news conference here today.

One of the escapees was subsequently killed in a road accident on the North-South Highway.

According to Ruslin, the escapees comprised 115 Rohingya and 15 Myanmar detainees and one Bangladeshi.

He said the detainees had acted aggressively by thrashing the cell gates, throwing stones at the 14 immigration personnel on duty and breaking through the perimeter fencing.

He said two of the 28 RELA personnel on duty were slightly injured after being assaulted by the detainees.

“They fled via a back road and cut through oil palm plantations to get to the nearby highway.

“We believe they are still in the vicinity of the depot and might be moving in small groups to avoid detection by the authorities,” he said.

Ruslin said the immigration department did not rule out the possibility the escapees had planned the breakout for a long time.

He said the cause of the incident was being investigated.

-- BERNAMA