Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said Malaysia had never denied any visit request, and that only two such requests were received this year.

He said the perception that Malaysia was obstructing access must be corrected.

“Yesterday, UNHCR, as reported by The New York Times, said that we are not granting access to immigration depots. As far as I can recall, we have only received two letters this year requesting permission to visit the depots.

“But it told the world that we blocked or did not allow it (to visit the depots). So we need to address this perception,” he said at the home ministry’s monthly assembly here.

He was responding to a New York Times report quoting UNHCR as saying that it had been barred from visiting detention depots since 2019, hindering its ability to identify refugees and assess conditions at the facilities.

In March, Saifuddin reportedly said the home ministry was prepared to allow UNHCR to visit immigration detention centres, but noted that several procedures must be followed before such visits could take place.

‘Police must accept reports’

Meanwhile, Saifuddin reminded the public to adhere to modest dressing requirements when lodging reports at police stations.

However, he stressed that the police must still accept reports even if an individual does not comply with the prescribed dress code.

He said the police’s priority was to assist members of the public who required help, including those filing reports, calling it a core duty of the security forces.

“It is the duty of the police to receive reports … So regardless of the situation, the police must take the report. There is indeed a circular (on dress codes when dealing with government offices), but it serves only as a guideline,” he said.

Saifuddin was commenting on a viral incident involving a woman who was denied entry to the Melaka police headquarters for allegedly violating the dress code for government premises.

The woman was understood to have been involved in an accident while travelling back to Johor after attending an event in Kuala Lumpur. She was reportedly barred from entering the headquarters to file a report as her skirt was above the knee.

Chief Secretary Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar yesterday said the government had relaxed the dress code at counters and offices during emergencies or unusual situations to ensure that the public’s right to immediate services is not denied.

He said the move took into account the needs of frontline services such as security, healthcare and other requirements that directly involve the public.