WAO ANNUAL REPORT 2009 - Women's Aid Organisation

The MWG was deeply concerned that particularly vulnerable individuals are not provided
adequate protection and care in detention. They issued a joint press statement on 24 April 2009
to raise these concerns.
7.7.3 Memorandum to SUHAKAM on Poor Conditions of Immigration Detention Centres
Contributing to the Outbreak of Leptospirosis
On 12 May 2009, a 21 year old asylum seeker from Burma, Thang Hoih Piang, died of
Leptospirosis and on 17 May 2009, a 26 year old asylum seeker also from Burma, Sa La Hin,
suffered the same fate. They were both detained in Juru Immigration Detention Centre where
they were infected by the disease.
In this memorandum the MWG urged SUHAKAM to view the seriousness of the Leptospirosis
outbreak in Juru Detention Centre with concern and act independently to ensure that justice is
done for detainees. SUHAKAM must make the parties responsible for both the outbreak of
Leptospirosis in the Juru detention centre and the general deterioration of conditions in
detention centres across the country (which include the absence of a doctor and medical
personnel stationed in detention centres) accountable. The MWG further stated that overall;
there have been an unacceptably high number of deaths of detainees in detention centres.
The MWG organised a press conference on 27 May 2009, to present the memorandum to
SUHAKAM on the outbreak of Leptospirosis at Juru Immigration Detention Centre that lead to
the two deaths.
7.7.4 Migration Working Group 4 th Annual Advocacy Workshop 2009
The MWG 4 th Annual Advocacy Workshop 2009 was jointly organised by the MWG and Jaringan
Utara Mirgrasi dan Pelarian (JUMP) Penang, from 2-4 October 2009 at Paradise Sandy Bay Hotel,
Penang. The workshop this year was sponsored by UNHCR.
The objectives of the 4 th Annual Advocacy Workshop were:
To consolidate the network of NGOs and individuals working on migration issues.
To build the capacity of members of the MWG on advocacy and the use of regional
mechanisms, specifically to examine the relevance of the ASEAN Charter and Other
Conventions of concern to NGO’s working on migration issues
To create a space where members can enquire further the processes involved and how
cases of trafficking are handled from the Malaysian Police and to build bridges between
the authorities and members of the MWG
To provide members with an updates from UNHCR on the conditions of detention
centres and migrant and refugee health issues
62