BEST FBKL: Malaysia should continue to do what it needs to ensure the national security is maintained. Al- Jazeera should be complimenting Malaysia for bringing the Covid-19 pandemic under control instead of running negative baseless stories and even accusing Malaysia of racism.
Due to freedom of press issues, Malaysia consider suing Al-Jazeera in a court of law.
Which Government in the World allows Illegal Foreign Workers?
06/07/2020 05:11 PM
PUTRAJAYA, July 6 -- Al Jazeera should apologise to the people of Malaysia for carrying an inaccurate documentary on the way Malaysia managed undocumented migrant workers in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said it was unethical of the journalist concerned to produce the documentary, which he described as misleading and baseless.
"As an international media organisation, Al Jazeera should stop its action (of screening the documentary) and apologise to the people of Malaysia,” he told a news conference on the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) here today.
The 20-minute documentary, titled “Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown”, alleged that Malaysia discriminated against illegal immigrants when it took steps to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Ismail Sabri said Al Jazeera had also lied by claiming that children of illegal immigrants had been treated cruelly, including being taken to the Immigration Detention Depots (DTI) in handcuffs.
However, the reality is that the children were not handcuffed and were in fact separated from other detainees and placed together with their parents, he added.
"This is a fact. Al Jazeera did not wish to know the facts and maliciously accused us of being racist, which is also untrue,” he said.
Ismail Sabri stressed that the arrest of illegal immigrants was based on Malaysia's Immigration Act, which provides for action against immigrants without valid documents, a move consistent with the laws of other countries too.
He challenged Al Jazeera to name any countries which give absolute freedom to illegal immigrants in their territories.
"As far as I know there is none. I believe there is no country which gives freedom to foreigners with expired visas,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
PORT KLANG, July 6 -- The measures taken against illegal immigrants during the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) were not discriminatory as alleged by a foreign news agency, because they were carried out in accordance with the law.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the move was also to safeguard safety and security in the interest of the citizens of the country.
“Although the foreign news agency stated that we were harsh and hard (on the illegal immigrants), I feel that was what the people wanted. The people want the government to be firm on those who do wrong.
“So, we should not dwell on what was reported as the story had been distorted. To me, the offenders were detained according to standard operating procedures and in accordance with the laws of this country,” he told a press conference after the handover of two patrol vessels here, today.
He said this when asked to comment on the 20.25-minute Al Jazeera documentary report titled "Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown," criticising Malaysia in its handling of illegal immigrants during the MCO enforced to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the same time, he said, the government has not barred foreigners from working in the country but they must follow the immigration procedures and obtain the required documents or valid work permit.
“To realise the country’s development needs, we need workers to do heavy manual labour jobs which usually, only the foreign workers are willing to do.
"Owing to all these, the government needs to put more emphasis on law enforcement because it is the people’s wish to see that everyone living here, obeys the laws of the country," he said.
-- BERNAMA
PUTRAJAYA, July 6 -- Al Jazeera should apologise to the people of Malaysia for carrying an inaccurate documentary on the way Malaysia managed undocumented migrant workers in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said it was unethical of the journalist concerned to produce the documentary, which he described as misleading and baseless.
"As an international media organisation, Al Jazeera should stop its action (of screening the documentary) and apologise to the people of Malaysia,” he told a news conference on the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) here today.
The 20-minute documentary, titled “Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown”, alleged that Malaysia discriminated against illegal immigrants when it took steps to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Ismail Sabri said Al Jazeera had also lied by claiming that children of illegal immigrants had been treated cruelly, including being taken to the Immigration Detention Depots (DTI) in handcuffs.
However, the reality is that the children were not handcuffed and were in fact separated from other detainees and placed together with their parents, he added.
"This is a fact. Al Jazeera did not wish to know the facts and maliciously accused us of being racist, which is also untrue,” he said.
Ismail Sabri stressed that the arrest of illegal immigrants was based on Malaysia's Immigration Act, which provides for action against immigrants without valid documents, a move consistent with the laws of other countries too.
He challenged Al Jazeera to name any countries which give absolute freedom to illegal immigrants in their territories.
"As far as I know there is none. I believe there is no country which gives freedom to foreigners with expired visas,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
Comment by Home Minister
06/07/2020 04:06 PMPORT KLANG, July 6 -- The measures taken against illegal immigrants during the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) were not discriminatory as alleged by a foreign news agency, because they were carried out in accordance with the law.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the move was also to safeguard safety and security in the interest of the citizens of the country.
“Although the foreign news agency stated that we were harsh and hard (on the illegal immigrants), I feel that was what the people wanted. The people want the government to be firm on those who do wrong.
“So, we should not dwell on what was reported as the story had been distorted. To me, the offenders were detained according to standard operating procedures and in accordance with the laws of this country,” he told a press conference after the handover of two patrol vessels here, today.
He said this when asked to comment on the 20.25-minute Al Jazeera documentary report titled "Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown," criticising Malaysia in its handling of illegal immigrants during the MCO enforced to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the same time, he said, the government has not barred foreigners from working in the country but they must follow the immigration procedures and obtain the required documents or valid work permit.
“To realise the country’s development needs, we need workers to do heavy manual labour jobs which usually, only the foreign workers are willing to do.
"Owing to all these, the government needs to put more emphasis on law enforcement because it is the people’s wish to see that everyone living here, obeys the laws of the country," he said.
-- BERNAMA
THE CONTROVERSIAL AL JAZEERA REPORT
Locked Up in Malaysia's Lockdown | 101 East
