BY ARIANA FIDELIA
MIRI: The establishment of Baitul Mahabbah Bekenu demonstrates the government’s support for the commitment of the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) and the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) in ensuring the rights and welfare of foreign children are always protected.
Minister of Home Affairs, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the initiative to establish Baitul Mahabbah is in line with the MADANI Malaysia concept which emphasises compassion for this group.
“When the detention of foreign nationals is carried out, it is obvious that those detained are not only adults but also children, and we place them in immigration depots.
“However, we see that if adults and children are placed together, the situation is not conducive.
“Therefore, KDN through JIM came up with the idea to move them to more conducive premises for children with or without guardians,” he said.
He said this when speaking at a press conference in conjunction with the opening ceremony of the Baitul Mahabbah at the Bekenu Immigration Depot here today.
He revealed that, in this effort, KDN succeeded in establishing the centre with the cooperation and support from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other agencies.
“We received strong support from NGOs and individuals who provided assistance in the form of donations of toys and books for children.
“In addition, they sometimes come to conduct activities together with the children placed in the centre,” he said.
However, he said, the placement of these children is temporary until their documentation processes are completed for the purpose of sending them back to their home countries.
Baitul Mahabbah at the Bekenu Immigration Depot is the third after the first one was established in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan on Sept 4 last year, followed by Papar, Sabah on Dec 15 of the same year.
