KUCHING: The Ministry for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development (KPWK) will collaborate with the Immigration Department on the issue of undocumented immigrants, with special focus on women and children.
Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah emphasised the significance of cooperation with various agencies when dealing with these vulnerable groups to effectively address associated challenges.
“We acknowledge that undocumented immigrants involve not only men but also women and children. In the case of children, understanding their age and the duration of their stay in detention is crucial. This information will determine the rights, especially the right to education, that need to be granted to these children,” she said this during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Sarawak Immigration Department at Baitulmakmur II Building today (Feb 5).
Fatimah underscored the importance of a close collaboration between her ministry and the Immigration Department to ensure a comprehensive examination of children’s rights, irrespective of their citizenship status.
“This is a collaborative effort that can be undertaken with the Immigration Department. Naturally, we also extend a warm welcome to collaborations related to community welfare,” she added.
Sarawak Immigration Department director Abdul Halim Abang Naili said the purpose of the courtesy visit was to seek potential cooperation with the ministry.
“In the context of women’s development and the involvement of undocumented immigrants, it is crucial for us to organise joint programmes for specific purposes. Moving forward, we will enhance our collaboration with KPWK,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Fatimah mentioned that the Sarawak Immigration Department holds a significant role as one of the agencies under the One-Stop Committee (OSC) dedicated to addressing drug and substance-related issues, particularly in border areas.
“This is another area requiring our close collaboration. Tomorrow (Feb 6), we will have the first state-level OSC meeting for this year. It will set our direction for the year, with reports from agencies and discussions on issues raised by the OSC at division and district levels.
“In January, during the rescue of homeless individuals in Lawas, we discovered that four out of the twelve were undocumented immigrants. They were handed over to the Sarawak Immigration Department for further action,” she emphasised.
