The human rights commissions of Malaysia and Indonesia want both countries to collaborate to improve the conditions in Malaysian temporary detention centres.
This comes after a coalition of Indonesian human rights groups produced a damning report detailing claims of “inhumane” treatment of detainees at two such centres in Sabah.
The claims, based on the alleged experience of recent Indonesian deportees, included “routine and systematic” abuse, child labour, obstruction of justice, widespread skin disease and appalling sanitation facilities.
Speaking at the online launch of the report earlier this week, Indonesian Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) commissioner Mohammad Choirul Anam acknowledged the findings.