PUTRAJAYA, June 1 — More medical facilities are needed at Immigration detention centres across the country to handle the threat of contagious diseases. 

Immigration Department Director-General Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said the current allocation of one medical officer to each detention centre had to suffice in the meantime. 

"Of course, the best option is to have hospital-like facilities, but we cannot be setting up a hospital at these centres,” he said. 

Among the items needed were medical equipment and more personnel. 

"More medical equipment would ease the responsibilities of medical officers assigned to each of the 13 detention centres nationwide,” he said. 

Mustafar said each detention centre has an ambulance on standby at all times for any emergency.

Besides the Health Ministry, the department is working with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which is tasked with inmate health evaluation. 

"They are allowed to visit the detention centres, with certain limitations, to look into the welfare of the inmates,” he said.  

"They also provide detention centres with medical equipment that are at their disposal.” 

Mustafar was speaking after the first engagement session between the Immigration Department and the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF), which discussed steps on how to curb the issue of foreigners committing crime in the country. 

Mustafar said the session, which was also attended by MCPF vice president Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, also discussed issues concerning enforcement against foreigners and in particular illegal immigrant offenders. 

Lee said the engagement was an ongoing effort by the foundation in acquiring information from the relevant enforcement agencies to discuss effective ways in enforcement tactics. 

"Sharing of information is important so we are able to understand the issue. If we do not understand it, we won’t be able to discuss it,” he said. 

Lee said among the constraints faced by the department was a lack of staff. 

He said the department was tasked to manage 137 entry points into the country, and also overseeing deportations and other offences.  

"From the brief we received, the department is lacking in manpower to carry out their duties pertaining to security, crime and national safety,” he said. 

"It is important the department is fortified to protect Malaysia from external threats.”  

Mustafar said he would welcome an increase of manpower to add to the current 14,420 Immigration officers.