In a statement, LFL director Zaid Malek said Saifuddin’s denial contradicted his statement in the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 3 last year.

At that time, Saifuddin said 846 boys and 653 girls were at immigration depots nationwide as of Sept 28 last year.

“Thus, that total of 1,499 children is even higher than HRW’s number. Unicef also quoted the same numbers in its Malaysia Country Office Annual Report 2023,” he said.

“With what effrontery does Saifuddin now deny HRW’s claim?”

Yesterday, Saifuddin questioned the credibility of HRW’s claim and urged the organisation to specify the locations of the centres where children were detained.

The HRW report, released on the same day, claimed that more than 1,400 children were detained at depots, with two-thirds of them unaccompanied or separated from their families.

In his statement, Zaid also said Saifuddin’s reaction to HRW’s assertion was baseless, stemming either from forgetfulness or a deliberate attempt to avoid criticism over the treatment of children.

“Either way, it is a gross misstatement of facts by a minister,” he said.

As such, he called for immediate access to be given for Suhakam to conduct a fact-finding mission at immigration detention centres to verify the number of children and their condition.

Zaid also accused the Pakatan Harapan-led unity government of hypocrisy, noting that PH welcomed HRW’s support when Anwar Ibrahim, who is now prime minister, was being prosecuted by the Barisan Nasional government.

He further criticised the government for now failing to address increasing xenophobic crackdowns on migrants and refugees, contrary to their promises made while in the opposition, including ratifying the 1951 Refugee Convention.