COVID-19 positive Myanmar immigrants detained at depot before MCO

The Myanmar illegal immigrants diagnosed with COVID-19 positive after returning to their home country have been at the Immigration Detention Depot since before the Movement Control Order (MCO) was implemented in Malaysia.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said they were positively tested after undergoing a test in Myanmar.

“The Myanmar immigrants, they have been tested positive after returning home. They did the test there and it was positive. They went (to the detention centre) before the MCO,” he said.

The media in Myanmar had previously reported that the country had recently recorded six positive COVID-19 cases and five of them were deported from Malaysia.

Ismail Sabri said the detention depot in Malaysia, has strictly enforced standard operating procedures (SOPs) and banned outsiders including non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from visiting detainees.

“Visitors are barred from entering the depot including international NGOs. They cannot even enter, including the Red Cross, nor are they allowed in the detention centres. This is to ensure the safety of the personnel in the depot,” he said.