Over 100 died in Malaysian detention camps, half from Myanmar

March 30, 2017

KUALA LUMPUR — More than one hundred foreigners died in the past two years in Malaysia's immigration detention centres from various diseases and unknown causes, most of them from Myanmar, according to documents from the government–funded National Human Rights Commission reviewed by Reuters.

The toll, which has not been previously disclosed, is based on Malaysian immigration department data provided to the commission, which is known by its Malay acronym Suhakam. There were 83 deaths in 2015, and at least 35 in 2016 up to Dec. 20.

It is unclear whether the death rate is higher than in neighbouring countries. Government officials in Indonesia and Thailand told Reuters they do not disclose such numbers.

The rate is higher than in major industrialised nations such as the United States, which in the last financial year recorded 10 deaths in its immigration detention system, which has many more detainees than Malaysia’s.

More than half of the 118 dead are from Myanmar, the source for tens of thousands of refugees coming to Malaysia, including Muslims from Rakhine State.

The number of Muslim fatalities in the camps is unknown.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar