Ordinary house pets are fed better food than foreign detainees at the temporary detention centre at the Immigration Department headquarters in Putrajaya, Malay Mail has discovered.
The detainees, including women, are, shockingly, given three meals a day that can be described as inhumane and humiliating.
Our probe revealed that not only is the food prepared in unhygienic conditions, but the meals also lack the daily nutrients vital for a person (see accompanying report).
Would you eat, daily, a small portion of rice with a chicken neck, two to three pieces of fried chicken liver and cabbage, with no gravy, for every meal – lunch, breakfast and dinner?
Our probe team found itself asking this question – and cringing at the thought of having to put up with the “menu” even for just one day.
If it’s not the chicken neck and liver, it's cheap fried fish instead. For drinks, it's Teh-O for breakfast and warm water for the other two meals.
The menu is the same, day in, day out. Our probe team unearthed this in an investigation that spanned a few days following a tip-off that detainees at the centre were being fed “dog food” by the caterer whose restaurant is located within the Immigration Department's headquarters.
Our checks revealed that even owners of mongrels and non-pedigree cats spend about RM8 a day on their food.
The government allocation per detainee is RM5.80 per day for three meals.
In comparison, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, who had said that she was served what was “almost like dog food” while detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), had received “royal” treatment. She was also given Vitamin C and Vitamin B Complex capsules by a doctor who also treated her for diarrhoea.
Yesterday, for example, as our reporter kept watch, two workers began preparing lunch packs for 60 detainees at 1.30pm. It was done at the rear of the restaurant, next to the rubbish bin and toilet.
There it was, yet again – plain rice, chicken neck, chicken liver and cabbage. No gravy.
So, if the allocation is RM 5.80 daily for three meals, how much did this detention centre meal cost?
Chicken neck is given away free at most restaurants, three pieces of fried chicken liver cost RM1, and cabbage and a small portion of rice another RM1. Total: RM2 per person per meal.
We took pictures surreptitiously at the restaurant while the workers were packing lunch but since they were not clear, we later took pictures of a neck and three pieces of liver at another restaurant to put the meal into perspective.
Restaurant workers said they felt sorry dishing out such meals for the detainees every day but were merely acting on the instructions of the owner.
NOTE: Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said two days ago that all detention centres have their own standard operating procedures that were in line with international quality standards.
A rich nation would treat minority, political refugees, pets better. These categories of GOD’s creation tend to have a better life in countries like United States, European countries and Australia.
Malaysians can be compassionate on 1 hand but can be less so in other instances. We have cases of maid abuse, animal abuse, and who can forget the prolonged detention of the Vietnamese people?
If our natural resources are managed and distributed properly and human capital developed properly as well, we can become more compassionate and civilised.
Just because some one is less fortunate, less educated, less qualified or whatever, does not mean he or she should be degraded in whatever form and manner.
One wonders if we can burn money buying screw drivers at tremendously inflated cost, why can’t we give proper and decent food supply to these detainees? True it is a drain on our resources but should we not have a proper and efficient processing and repatriation system in place.
Dear Teresa,
I agreed with you I was in detention before for almost a week for deceived and defamation context and the food that they treat was inhuman. Furthermore just imagine you have to cramp into a lockup of 35 people in a small facet of room with open end squatting toilet bowl left with running water.
Your shirt has been taken away for fear that you will kill yourself, but they forget the pants. Left alone in mental conscious of solitary and bodies of 35 half naked lying in the tiny cell. Food was being served like a piece of liver, chicken neck, legs, and spare parts of chicken and at time “roti canai”. Together this tiny topping will be served and mix with rice and gravy. Some of the guardian and authority within the proximity of the compound does do demand money either from the within the cell and family members of the misfortune to get a better treatment.
Water source will definitely from the running water from the flushing toilet. The purpose of the running water was to deter smell and stink of the dropping of detainees from spreading and contaminate the tiny room.
At time out of pity I do share some of the portion of my rice to others as most of the time the food is not enough to fill the stomach. Time passed with the timeless motion of the cruelty of cell and humidity and smell of bodies of human pungent with the solitude of restless mind that resort for activity to get one life back.
Black, chocolate and yellow skins were in the dilution and quietness of the cell. At time due to restlessness some will shout and standup exercise quietly without interfering the freedom domain of our individual border.
Timeless goes the environment will remain the same, situation will remain the anxiety of the prisoner of the space. When night come slowly some will curl up and crawl to their resting place which is about a meter or a meter and half in diameter of space. Some will sleep sitting, some will sleep molding to the wall and some will sleep lying down with the legs curl up for space maximization.
Obviously in each of the cell action they have “OKT”, known as “Orr Kuil Tou”, which literally translate as the head of the cell. They are the actor or the one that the Authority / Guardian vested their power to act on behalf of them. Though the camera is impounded to ensure security at time the OKT do entertain the Authority / Guardian and conclude their boredom. At time fight and infringement of space and malicious activity does count as a jester to the viewer of the camera.
Other vitamin or medication at time will be denied without the offering involve.
I believe it is not all about the money that spends to improve the overall detainees as a whole but rather the overall value and believe that have been taught and depart to the training of the Force. On human value, right and fear in the reverence God. On the manner of the vision of the Force, purpose behind the formation of the Force and integrity with value that as the Authority figures what has been taught and channel into factors without infringement of the human liberty and right. If in the first place does the Force understand the concept of human right, freedom and liberty?
Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said few days ago that all detention centres have their own standard operating procedures that were in line with international quality standards.
Does he understand about the concept of human right, freedom and liberty? I ponder because his speech does not condone to his action.
If our speeches do not condone to our action why we are the “rakyat” still in liberty and freedom to ignite our democratic belief vested in us to this Authority or Guardian?
Collectively we as “rakyat” need to think about this for the future of our generation to come…
If this is in line with international quality standards then I am the king of Scotland!
The (dis) honorable minister seem to be putting his foot in his mouth yet again. Why don’t the minister step down for a while from his lofty perch & do some actual investigation – perhaps disguising as a “pendatang” & eating the food. Then probably he’ll come to his senses (if there’s any leftlah!)
it would not be i won’t dare to eat.. i won’t even wanna eat this kind of meal! my usual meal a day also, with the price increase , morning time already 5 buck with drink, lunch also around 5 buck…dinner with my maid around 15-30 sometimes! what is this?! nonsense menu! not that we are discriminating against poor people or what, but this menu is ridiculous i think ppl at the lowest income also wouldn’t want it!
My family was poor when i was born and my mum is a single mother with me(2 years old) n my sister(barely a month). We even have the tastiest food that my single mother could have for us. Even porridge and salted egg will do for our 2 meals. But we never blame anyone for that. But after found out that the detainees have THOSE food daily makes me puke. They should not b treated this way (!Human Rights).How much does it costs to give them proper food other than the necks n liver??These culprits should put in for a month to taste THOSE food. Fair n square.
It was done at the rear of the restaurant, next to the rubbish bin and toilet.
=========
under section 13, food act 1983, any person who prepares or sells any food that has in or upon it any substance which is poisonous, harmful or otherwise injurious to health commits an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding rm100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or both.
under regulation 39(2) of the food regulations 1985, no person shall import, prepare or advertise for sale or sell any food ready for consumption that is contaminated with pathogenic microorganism.
well, what are you waiting for? i’m sure food prepared next to a rubbish bin or toilet must surely be contaminated with pathogenic microorganism! report them lor… this will surely be a service to all the detainees to ensure that they are given hygienic edible food!
The issue on the quality of food served to detainees or prisoners has reminded me of a story told to me by my family doctor who has since passed away. She has served as a doctor at Kajang Prison for awhile. According to her the food served to the prisoners were cooked from leftover yellowing and decaying vegetables from the Pasar Borong,fish that are also almost rotten etc.
Yes exactly what Theresa said ” almost like dog food”.She had on many occasions complained to the authorities but instead told to mind her own business. She was even offered bribe to keep her mouth shut. When she refused, she was threatened. She couldn’t take all that and finally resigned to set up her own private practice. She was appalled by the extent of corruption and the sad thing was there was no channel to expose these corrupt practices. Today,I believe there’s hope for her to channel her observation and what she had witnessed, if she is still alive.
Botak, you are just a disgrace!
Zip up, when you are not on the receiving end.
It’s truly a third world mentality disguised in a developing nation status. It’s utterly embarrassing to have a government which has no proper standards to treat fellow human beings, granted that they have broken the laws or otherwise. A decent simple hygienic meal is not too much to ask for, is it?
Egypt allows prisoners to order out restaurant food
Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:23am EDT
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian prisoners are set to be allowed to order meals from any restaurant they choose after a trial run during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan was deemed a success, a senior security official said on Saturday.
The state-run Al Ahram newspaper reported that prison authorities have been placing orders with restaurants and then handing them to prisoners about to break their fast.
Muslims fast from dawn to dusk in Ramadan, which started this year on September 1. The security official told Reuters the permission to order food would continue beyond Ramadan.
He said the prisoners were paying for the food. Asked about the favorite meals prisoners have ordered, he said they included meat Kebab and pizza.
The official asked not to be named, citing department policy.
It is not uncommon for prisoners in Egypt to receive meals from their visiting families. Egyptian human rights activists say conditions inside jails in the most populous Arab country are bad, with unclean cells and low-quality food.
Human rights groups also say torture is systematic inside Egyptian jails and police stations. The government denies this and says it prosecutes any officer who tortures detainees.
(Writing by Alaa Shahine; reporting by Matthew Jones)
http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE48Q22920080927