Al Jazeera slammed over immigrant report
PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has slammed Al Jazeera for alleging that Malaysia engaged in discriminatory treatment of illegal immigrants during the movement control order (MCO).
The senior minister described the international news channel’s 25-minute documentary Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown as misleading, baseless and flawed, and has demanded an apology.
“The wild accusations it made against Malaysia are inappropriate, ill-intended and without facts,” he said in his Covid-19 media briefing in Putrajaya yesterday.
“I hope an international media like it, which is supposed to have ethics, will stop such (baseless) reporting, and I demand that they apologise to all Malaysians.”
Ismail Sabri was asked to comment on the Al Jazeera 101 East report on July 3 accusing the government of being racist for arresting undocumented foreigners under the guise of public health and safety.
The segment included interviews with both documented and undocumented migrants, non-governmental organisation, civil societies and trade associations.
Ismail Sabri maintained that any arrest of illegal immigrants throughout the MCO period was done according to the law, namely the Immigration Act.
“We can ask Al Jazeera to name a single country that allows undocumented migrants to move freely within its borders. I challenge them. Maybe they know some.”
The senior minister also rubbished claims that only foreigners were placed behind barbed wires to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, noting that any area put under the enforced MCO was fenced.
“It was not only for foreigners. Even the movement of locals, like (those from) the tahfiz centre in Hulu Langat, were restricted.”
He said foreigners were in fact given equal treatment and those who tested positive were isolated and received care in quarantine centres.
This was the case for documented as well as undocumented migrants, he added.
“But regardless of whether one tests positive or negative for the virus, if he is an illegal immigrant, he will be treated as one.”
“It doesn’t mean if you are negative, we can set you free. Because at the end of the day, your status is still illegal.”
Ismail Sabri also denied allegations by Al Jazeera that children of illegal immigrants were handcuffed during immigration operations, saying it was a lie.
“This is not true. In fact, we even isolated children and their parents from other illegal immigrants. This is the fact, but I don’t believe Al Jazeera wants facts.”