SENIOR Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today demanded an apology from international news channel Al-Jazeera over a documentary alleging Putrajaya’s discriminatory treatment of undocumented migrants during the movement-control order (MCO).

“I demand that Al-Jazeera apologise for the misleading information and report. Of course we would act on illegals. Even after they tested negative for the virus, they still will be detained for breaking the law.

“I dare Al-Jazeera to name one country that would not take any action against migrant workers or people without proper documentation,” the defence minister and National Security Council spokesman said at the briefing on Covid-19 movement restrictions in Putrajaya today.

“We act according to the law. Under the Immigration Act, anyone without documentation or without valid documents can be detained.”

He also said no migrant children were handcuffed during the immigration raid as reported by Al-Jazeera in the 20-minute documentary, Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown.

“No children were cuffed and they were placed with their parents in a different cell, not together with other individuals.

“We brought them for screenings and we paid for it. We provided food for them,” he said.

“What was reported by Al-Jazeera was not only a lie but it was made without proper facts and thorough study.”

Earlier today, Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin also defended raids against undocumented foreigners during the MCO period, telling Al-Jazeera that “Malaysians come first”.

“We don’t take to heart what the foreign media says, as they always like to spin nonsensical stories,” Hamzah told a press conference in Port Klang.

Health Minister Dr Adham Baba has also slammed the accusations made in the documentary, saying actions taken under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 are meant to protect both locals and foreigners from Covid-19. – July 6, 2020.