He also called for the home ministry to apologise to the migrant workers and Malaysians at large for their shameful actions.
He said the pictures of undocumented migrant workers being sprayed with disinfectant by immigration authorities were utterly shocking.
“While studies have shown that spraying disinfectant is not an effective method against the spread of the virus, the inhumane actions of the immigration officers have certainly shamed us on the global stage,” he said.
Kula said the migrants should have been given protective equipment such as face masks and hand sanitisers instead.
He said Malaysia, which is on the Tier 2 watchlist of the US State Department over human trafficking and forced labour issues, had clearly shown why it had caught the world’s attention when it comes to labour standards, especially when dealing with migrant workers.
Kula also said Malaysia cannot claim to subscribe to the standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and yet treat migrant workers badly, even if they are undocumented.
“The human resources ministry should release an advisory on the incident and also carry out a full investigation on the matter. It has a duty to the ILO,” he said.
Kula added that the home ministry must consult with the health ministry when conducting operations against migrant workers.
According to the Economic Times of India, the Indian health ministry issued an advisory against spraying disinfectant on people for Covid-19 management, stating that it is physically and psychologically harmful.
“I would also like to ask the home minister if he would be okay if undocumented Malaysian workers were hosed down with Dettol in the middle of the street, in a foreign country. Would Malaysia not express outrage?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Medical Association president Dr M Subramaniam condemned the action by the immigration officers, saying the spraying of disinfectants on people was not part of the National Security Council (MKN) or health ministry’s SOPs.
“We are shocked at the way fellow human beings were treated by the officers. Who did the immigration department consult?”
Subramaniam added that such actions will only cause migrants to flee and hide from the authorities, complicating further efforts to curb Covid-19.
“We are in the middle of a pandemic. These incidents will lead to migrants not trusting the authorities.”
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