Sabah NSC hands over depot centres management to state Immigration Dept

 

Sabah Federal secretary Datuk Samsuni Mohd Nor (centre) witnessing the handover of temporary detention centre from state National Security Council director Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof to state Immigration director Datuk Dr Muhamad Sade Mohamad Amin. NSTP/ courtesy of Sabah Information Department.

PAPAR: The Sabah Immigration Department will be taking charge of the temporary detention centres in the state starting today.

Previously, these centres were under the purview of Sabah National Security Council (NSC).

State NSC director Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof said the handover of the management at those centres was in line with the terms of legislation.

"It is also an obligation to comply with the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Amendment 2002), which is a law applicable to the management of detainees.

"The law also enables the institution to operate (those centres) under the act," she said after the handing over ceremony.

She said the Immigration Department is an experienced agency and has the best mechanism to coordinate the management of detainees at the centres.

Present were Sabah federal secretary Datuk Samsuni Mohd Nor, who witnessed the handover from the NSC to Sabah Immigration director Datuk Dr Muhamad Sade Mohamad Amin.

Samsuni said the detention centres will be rebranded as Immigration detention depots.

"We are hoping the illegal immigrants issue can be handled better and more efficiently," he said.