KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 ― A total of 2,742 Malaysians are currently detained abroad for various criminal offences, Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar said today.
In the Dewan Rakyat, Kamarudin said the information provided by Malaysia’s diplomatic delegates abroad showed that the main offence committed by Malaysians abroad and which resulted in their detention is drug offences (1,434 out of the 2,742 individuals detained).
This is followed by fraud cases with 406 individuals, fake credit cards with 132 individuals, custom offences (89), and immigration offences (66).
On how many of the 2,742 detainees are serving life imprisonment or have been sentenced to death, Kamarudin said he did not have such information at the moment.
He was responding to Serian MP Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem’s question in the Dewan Rakyat on the number of Malaysians imprisoned abroad and the foreign ministry’s efforts to help them, as well as the latter’s supplementary question on the type of offences committed by the 2,742 and how many were serving life imprisonment or sentenced to death.
Also in his reply, Kamarudin said Malaysia’s diplomatic representatives abroad have the role of providing consular assistance to Malaysians who find themselves detained overseas, in line with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963.
“Consular assistance under this law includes informing of their detention to their family or kin and ensuring the welfare, safety and health of the detainees are always taken care of.
“Malaysia’s representatives can also help present a list of local lawyers to be appointed by the detainee or kin if needed. After the sentence is fully served, Malaysia’s representatives will process the documentation including Sijil Perakuan Cemas (Emergency Certificate) if needed as temporary documents to return to Malaysia,” he said.
He added that Malaysia’s diplomatic delegates would help in ensuring all matters with the local authorities abroad are completed smoothly to enable the Malaysians who have served their detention term to return to Malaysia safely.
“The Malaysian government and the Foreign Affairs Ministry always cares about the welfare of each Malaysian overseas and are always ready to give the appropriate assistance. However, Malaysian delegates abroad have to respect the local legal process and cannot interfere in the legal affairs of a country.
“Any individual detained abroad has to be prepared to go through the legal process in that country. The Foreign Affairs Ministry always advises Malaysians who are located or will travel overseas to be always vigilant and to understand the laws of that country to avoid them from being involved in undesired matters,” he added.