ANNUAL REPORT 2019
Forensics Seminar in Kuala Lumpur.
CHAPTER 1
e) Foreigners have limited access to legal counsel and are reluctant
to complain about violations of human rights due to their
vulnerability;
f) Over-crowding:
i) The ratio of prison staff to inmates is disproportionate;
ii) The increase of inmates affected the budget significantly as
well as the facilities to house them;
g) Proper medical reports are not provided to the Immigration
Detention Centre when foreign detainees are handed over from
other enforcement agencies. This may affect their health if they
have existing medical conditions. There is also a lack of medicine
and medical assistants (MA) and limited medical facilities;
h) Depression and bipolar disorder are common among prisoners/
detainees. The doctors and prison officers lack training and
experience in dealing with these medical conditions and may fail
to report any psychiatric illness; and
i) Lack of funding for psychotropic medication and only a small
portion of the budget is allocated to the psychiatric department.
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