Undocumented migrants and refugees in Malaysia:Raids, Detention and Discrimination

Report Introduction:
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) completed an international fact-finding mission in Malaysia from 18 – 24 January 2007. The mission was assisted by its member organisation in Malaysia, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram). In particular, the mission was assisted by Ms. Koula Koumis, a Suaram volunteer, who accompanied the mission to many meetings, assisted in facilitating and briefing the mission members for meetings with refugee groups and worked tirelessly to confirm arrangements. Koula died tragically in a road traffic accident on 4 March 2007 in Kuala Lumpur. This report is dedicated to her and to the impact she made on the lives and human rights of so many people.

The objective of the mission was to investigate the situation of undocumented migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia. Its main focus was on the provisions of the Immigration Act and the process of enforcement of immigration laws and policies. The conditions of detention in the immigration depots and the process of removal of persons who contravene the Immigration Act were also addressed. It was not intended to cover issues such as the working conditions of documented and undocumented workers, assess the claims of persons to protection under the Geneva Refugee Convention or deal with the questions relating to trafficking in persons in any depth. Bymeeting with a range of actors at the national level, the mission sought to gather information provided by those individuals and groups on these issues and to use this information provided as a basis for formulating recommendations in order to guide Malaysia developing and strengthening its human rights protections for these vulnerable groups and remedy shortcomings in the current system.

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