(f)
Building Environment
CHAPTER 1
From its visits to immigration detention centres, the Commission took
note of the dilapidated conditions of the Pekan Nenas Immigration
Detention Centre and Juru Immigration Detention Centre. The Public Works
Department has certified that three blocks of the Pekan Nenas Immigration
Detention Centre, namely the female block, the court, and the personnel’s
quarters are unfit and unsafe to be occupied, while the two male blocks
of Juru Immigration Detention Centre is unfit and unsafe for occupation.
Unsafe and unfit building conditions at detention centres not only have a
bearing on the health, safety, and security of the detainees but also the
public at large.
Further, maintaining such buildings incur additional costs and this may not
be financially prudent, bearing in mind the existing plans to replace those
immigration detention centres, which plans should be expedited and
prioritised.
With regard to police lockups, the Commission observes the importance
of ensuring that closed circuit television (CCTV) systems, where installed,
should function accordingly.
The building environment of Sungai Udang Prison, which is one of the newly
built prisons, is satisfactory and in good condition. The Commission observed
that this prison is adequately lit with natural light and properly ventilated, in
line with the applicable provisions in the Nelson Mandela Rules.
g)
Healthcare
Reflecting on the Commission’s recommendations in its past Annual Reports
on the issue of health, it is noted that the authorities have made gradual
and steady progress in the right direction towards ensuring that prisoners
receive healthcare equivalent to that available to the public, without
discrimination based on their legal situation.
There are now medical officers placed in some prisons in Malaysia. The
Commission observed that there were two medical officers, a male and a
female, in Sungai Undang Prison to attend to prisoners. Similarly in Sungai
Buloh Prison and Pengkalan Chepa Prison, the Commission observed the
presence of medical doctors. Although there was a lack of necessary
medical equipment, the presence of medical officers is in line with
Rule 2438 of the Nelson Mandela Rules. The Commission also noted that
prisoners suffering from contagious diseases in the prisons, such HIV/AIDS,
38 Rule 24(2) of Mandela Rules: The health-care service shall consist of an interdisciplinary team with sufficient qualified personnel
acting in full clinical independence and shall encompass sufficient expertise in psychology and psychiatry. The services of a qualified
dentist shall be available to every prisoner.
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