A GROUP of civil rights activists have called on the government to release all children held in Immigration centres.

The group said the detention violates human rights and is an infringement of the Asean Declaration on the Rights of the Child in the context of migration.

“Once again Malaysia has violated the Child Rights Convention by detaining children during a raid in Cheras Friday night.

“According to news reports, children as young as eight are among 425 foreign nationals held.

“We have also been informed of another raid on July 31 at the Life Assembly Church in Seremban, where at least 26 Chin refugees were arrested and are currently held at the Lenggeng Immigration detention centre.

“Firstly, children cannot be detained simply because of their parents’ ‘irregular’ immigration status,” the group said in a statement.

Citing Thailand and Indonesia as examples, the group reminded Putrajaya it has failed to uphold its pledge to implement policies and legislation that would protect the rights of the most vulnerable communities when applying for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council.

“We are worse off than our neighbours, Thailand and Indonesia, who have been releasing children into community care and alternatives to detention.

“We wish to remind the government that on February 16, our home minister had pledged to shift the children detained at the depot soon and place them under the care of civil society groups that specialise in the welfare of children,” it said.

The group also called for an end to continuous night raids and condemned the act.

“We also call for the immediate release of all children, especially since the government has made many empty promises to do so and a moratorium on Immigration raids under proper mechanisms can be put in place to stop the labour recruitment process, which renders migrants undocumented.”

The Malaysian Insight has contacted the Immigrant Department for comments but has yet to receive any reply. – August 8, 2023.