SERIAN: The state government will work closely with the Immigration Department and relevant authorities to improve the standard operating procedures (SOPs) at Semuja Immigration Detention Depot so that there will be no more Covid-19 positive cases among the detainees.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the infection of more than 200 detainees at the depot was due to non-compliance with the SOPs.
He told a press conference this after attending a briefing at the detention depot on Monday (Mar 22).
Abang Johari pointed out that before they were placed at the detention depot, the detainees must be re-tested. They could only be transferred to the detention depot after the results were negative.
“Maybe there is a weakness in this area. So, we will work together to enhance the SOPs because the most important thing is, we must take care of ourselves. Whatever way it can, the state government will come in to help,” he said.
Sarawak currently only has two detention depots, namely Semuja Immigration Detention Deport and the Bekenu Immigration Detention Depot.
The chief minister said the state was serious about tackling the Covid-19 cases at the Semuja Immigration Detention Deport involving detainees. These cases had contributed to a spike in positive cases in the state.
“At the moment, we want to focus on tackling the present situation. On the development of a new detention depot in the state, we will discuss that later,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Immigration director Datuk Ken Leben, said that the Covid-19 infection involving the detainees at the Semuja Immigration Detention Depot was due to the relaxation of SOPs.
“It happened because the detainees who were brought in were not re-tested. They had already undergone the swab tests before being brought in here.
“Another factor that contributed to the spread of Covid-19 was the overcrowded situation in the detention blocks. However, the issue was resolved as the chief minister has agreed to assist us in putting up temporary isolation blocks here,” he said.
On the immigration measures to address overcrowding of detainees at the detention depot, Ken said that the department had suggested to Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) to temporarily stop the handover of detainees caught by enforcement agencies. He said SDMC had agreed to its proposal.
He said the positive cases only involved the detainees while the Immigration staff tested negative.
Out of the eight detention blocks at the detention depot, four blocks were affected, explained Ken.
For the record, the Covid-19 infection at the Semuja Immigration Detention Depot occurred following the deportation of 108 detainees comprising 93 Indonesian men and 15 women back to their country by road through the Tebedu Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex (ICQS) on Mar 11.
On Mar 14, the Indonesian Immigration Attache officers from the Indonesian Consulate in Kuching informed that 69 of the detainees tested positive while undergoing screening in Pontianak. Subsequently, early tracing of officers and detainees were immediately carried out.
At the moment, 41 percent of the detainees at the Semuja Immigration Detention Depot are Indonesian nationals who were arrested for entering the state illegally. The rest are from Vietnam and Bangladesh.
