'I would have died in that inhumane place' - Singaporean's ordeal
After a group of Chinese nationals revealed their alleged ordeal at the Pekan Nanas immigration depot in Johor, a Singaporean has come forward to share his experience.
Retired engineer Wong Chun Khuen, 65, was detained by the Johor Immigration Department for five weeks before being deported.
Although Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin dismissed the Chinese nationals’ allegation that food and other items in the detention centre were sold at exorbitant prices, Wong claimed this was true.
He also claimed that detainees were not allowed to communicate directly with the officers or guards and must relay their requests through inmates who acted as a “checker” or “kawasan”.
The “checker”, Wong said, is usually a dominant figure and also responsible for maintaining discipline and order in the cell.
The “kawasan”, on the other hand, comprises detainees handpicked to run errands for the officers and guards as well as to serve as messengers.
“They get a cut by acting as intermediaries between officers and the detainees for deals.
“There was this deal for a three-minute phone call which cost RM100 per call using an officer’s mobile phone. They also arranged deals like buying washing powder, soap, toothpaste and so forth from the officers,” he told Malaysiakini.
The Pekan Nanas immigration depot in Johor
Due to this, Wong claimed that “checkers” and “kawasan” enjoyed certain privileges, such as having the freedom to be outside of their cells, food and sleeping space.
During his incarceration, the Singaporean said he was not provided with necessities, forcing detainees to purchase these items.
Wong recalled that he was forced to wear the same clothes for two weeks before his wife was allowed to send clothes, towels and other items.
In their interview with Malaysiakini, the Chinese nationals, who are now back home, claimed that necessities such as soap or bath towels in the depot could cost up to RM100, and food items were just as expensive.
They alleged that the goods were acquired from an immigration officer referred to as the “boss” of their detention bloc and payments were made to a bank account under a different name than that of the officer.
READ MORE: Chinese nationals recall unpalatable meals, 'RM100 soap for phone calls'
‘Medical treatment delayed for sick detainee’
Meanwhile, Wong also claimed that he witnessed how an ailing detainee was not given prompt medical attention, which he believed caused the latter’s death.
He said he saw the detainee lying on the floor, suffering, but the guards were too preoccupied with their duties.
“It was only after a long time, in the late afternoon that he was sent to the hospital. By then his condition looked like it had worsened. As we watched him from our cell, we knew that he was in bad shape when he was sent to the hospital.
“The detainee never returned to the cell. Later, we heard from our ‘kawasan’ that he had died. The information was that he had died from rat urine disease (leptospirosis),” he added.
Following this, Wong said the authorities carried out a large-scale cleaning exercise of the entire detention centre, including using chemicals to clean the water tanks.
Due to this, Wong claimed that “checkers” and “kawasan” enjoyed certain privileges, such as having the freedom to be outside of their cells, food and sleeping space.
During his incarceration, the Singaporean said he was not provided with necessities, forcing detainees to purchase these items.
Wong recalled that he was forced to wear the same clothes for two weeks before his wife was allowed to send clothes, towels and other items.
In their interview with Malaysiakini, the Chinese nationals, who are now back home, claimed that necessities such as soap or bath towels in the depot could cost up to RM100, and food items were just as expensive.
They alleged that the goods were acquired from an immigration officer referred to as the “boss” of their detention bloc and payments were made to a bank account under a different name than that of the officer.
READ MORE: Chinese nationals recall unpalatable meals, 'RM100 soap for phone calls'
‘Medical treatment delayed for sick detainee’
Meanwhile, Wong also claimed that he witnessed how an ailing detainee was not given prompt medical attention, which he believed caused the latter’s death.
He said he saw the detainee lying on the floor, suffering, but the guards were too preoccupied with their duties.
“It was only after a long time, in the late afternoon that he was sent to the hospital. By then his condition looked like it had worsened. As we watched him from our cell, we knew that he was in bad shape when he was sent to the hospital.
“The detainee never returned to the cell. Later, we heard from our ‘kawasan’ that he had died. The information was that he had died from rat urine disease (leptospirosis),” he added.
Following this, Wong said the authorities carried out a large-scale cleaning exercise of the entire detention centre, including using chemicals to clean the water tanks.
Illustration of the toilet and water tank in the Pekan Nanas immigration depot cell for male detainees. The water tank is the only water source for detainees to bathe, wash clothes and clean food trays.
Wong himself experienced delayed medical attention when he had trouble urinating. Suspecting that he had developed an infection, he requested immediate treatment but was forced to suffer in pain for almost three hours.
“The guards were busy with the detainees and doing their records. So I was told to wait.
“That is the mentality of the guards and officers. They don’t care about the detainees’ condition even if they are dying. They do not even bother if you are breathing or not.
“Whatever happens, they will just blame it on the standard operating procedure (SOP). Everything needs to go by SOP, no matter how urgent. They will say, ‘Oh, no guard? Then you wait, lah’,” he claimed.
Wong himself experienced delayed medical attention when he had trouble urinating. Suspecting that he had developed an infection, he requested immediate treatment but was forced to suffer in pain for almost three hours.
“The guards were busy with the detainees and doing their records. So I was told to wait.
“That is the mentality of the guards and officers. They don’t care about the detainees’ condition even if they are dying. They do not even bother if you are breathing or not.
“Whatever happens, they will just blame it on the standard operating procedure (SOP). Everything needs to go by SOP, no matter how urgent. They will say, ‘Oh, no guard? Then you wait, lah’,” he claimed.
A rendition of the cell layout illustrated by Wong Chun Khuen.
‘Forced to do squats’
As for his experience at the Kluang prison, where he spent three nights before being transferred to the immigration depot, Wong claimed he was forced to perform “squats” despite informing the officer that he had high blood pressure and asthma.
“They stripped us naked. We were then ordered to do the squats while raising our arms at a fast pace. This was repeated many times. It could have led to an asthma attack but they did not care,” he charged.
Wong revealed that he suffered a heart attack some four months after returning to Singapore.
“If I was still in that inhumane place (detention centre), I would have surely died while waiting for treatment,” he added.
Citing the case of Thomas Orhions Ewansiha, a 34-year-old doctorate student who died at the Bukit Jalil immigration detention centre in 2019, five days after his arrest, Wong said he was fortunate not to have met a similar fate.
Ewansiha’s family has filed a civil action and during the hearing, counsel Rajesh Nagarajan contended that the negligent acts of immigration officers, which included forcing the morbidly obese student with high blood pressure to perform frog jumps, had led to the death.
Last month, the home minister courted flak when he remarked that “anyone can die anywhere” and that he could not predict deaths in detention to prevent them.
‘Forced to do squats’
As for his experience at the Kluang prison, where he spent three nights before being transferred to the immigration depot, Wong claimed he was forced to perform “squats” despite informing the officer that he had high blood pressure and asthma.
“They stripped us naked. We were then ordered to do the squats while raising our arms at a fast pace. This was repeated many times. It could have led to an asthma attack but they did not care,” he charged.
Wong revealed that he suffered a heart attack some four months after returning to Singapore.
“If I was still in that inhumane place (detention centre), I would have surely died while waiting for treatment,” he added.
Citing the case of Thomas Orhions Ewansiha, a 34-year-old doctorate student who died at the Bukit Jalil immigration detention centre in 2019, five days after his arrest, Wong said he was fortunate not to have met a similar fate.
Ewansiha’s family has filed a civil action and during the hearing, counsel Rajesh Nagarajan contended that the negligent acts of immigration officers, which included forcing the morbidly obese student with high blood pressure to perform frog jumps, had led to the death.
Last month, the home minister courted flak when he remarked that “anyone can die anywhere” and that he could not predict deaths in detention to prevent them.
They are certainly barbaric and inhumane conditions in which to hold human beings. Worse, these people have not been convicted of any crime.
ReplyDeleteIt is no better than the horrific descriptions I have seen described by former Xinjiang reeducation camp / vocational training institution inmates.
Wakakakaka…
DeleteStill dying to give yr fabricated farts about those Xinjiang reeducation camp / vocational training institution inmates!
Where r the proofs?
Ooop… don't repeat those same group of people who have been identified by their own kindred as liars. Those PS-ed photos too.
If Malaysian citizens are dying in prisons, why should we be surprised that foreigners are treated poorly in immigration detention facilities.
ReplyDeleteThis is the behaviour of the ketuanans. But it reflects an inner sense of inferior complex that these ketuanans suffer by acting in a high handed and arrogant manner.