In a statement, Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) coordinator Zaid Malek said the “underhanded strategy” of using the lockdown as an excuse to target undocumented migrants will worsen the existing health crisis.

“After the various Covid-19 clusters emerging from prisons and detention centres throughout Malaysia last year, the government should be well aware that a large-scale incarceration will only result in increasing the number of Covid-19 cases.

“This is extremely concerning, especially with infections now numbering in the thousands daily. New clusters will unnecessarily burden our already overextended healthcare system.”

He said even with additional detention centres, there is no guarantee that overcrowding would not occur yet again or that a system to limit outbreaks within the facility’s walls exists.

“Hence, we urge the government to reconsider its plan to conduct the mass operation against undocumented migrants. There is no sense in sending migrants to our already overcrowded prison and detention centres.”

He was commenting on a press conference yesterday by home minister Hamzah Zainudin, who said that additional resources will be called upon to house new detainees if needed.

LFL’s views were echoed by Parti Sosialis Malaysia central committee member Sharan Raj, who said the emphasis now should be on decongesting detention centres, not filling them up.

“According to Suhakam, Malaysia’s prisons are extremely overcrowded, by over 40%, creating the ideal condition for Covid-19 to spread. Locking up undocumented migrants as new detainees in prison will increase the number of Covid-19 cases due to further overcrowding.”

He said the population in prisons could be reduced by 80%, pointing out that 25% of prisoners were awaiting trial while 55% were in for drug-related offences.

“Drug possession for personal use needs to be decriminalised in order to treat them as medical patients rather than criminals,” he said.