PUTRAJAYA: The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission has revealed that abuse and the use of excessive force were among the factors that led to 131 Rohingya detainees making their escape from the Bidor Immigration Depot on Feb 1.
Following the commission's investigation into the incident, EAIC has recommended disciplinary action against several officers to the Immigration Department and lodged a police report.
In a statement, it said other factors which led to the breakout were the negligence of depot officers, failure in monitoring and weaknesses in the infrastructure of the depot itself.
EAIC said its investigation into the incident revealed the detainees suffered extreme violence and mental abuse while at the depot.
It also said the Immigration Department and People's Volunteer Corps (Rela) officers stationed at the depot were found to have been "unaware of their surroundings" before the incident occurred.
EAIC said the depot, formerly a National Service Training Programme camp, did not meet requirements to serve as a detention camp, while senior officers and supervisors there failed to monitor and take action to control the situation during the incident.
The outcome of the probe also revealed that the abuse of detainees began sometime between 2020 and 2021, when they were placed at the Wawasan Langkawi Camp, before being transferred to various immigration depots.
"Several immigration officers there, including two officers who had previously served at the Wawasan Langkawi Camp before being transferred to (Bidor), were found to have committed extreme violence and both physical and mental abuse against Rohingya detainees, resulting in injuries.
"As a result, the EAIC has decided to refer recommendations for disciplinary action against the involved officers to the Immigration Department Disciplinary Board. Suggestions for infrastructure improvements at detention depots will also be submitted to the Immigration Department director-general," it said.
The EAIC has also filed a police report regarding the violence and abuse of Rohingya detainees at both the Bidor depot and the Wawasan Langkawi Camp to allow for further investigation by the police.
At the time of the incident, police had said there was a riot in the male block of the depot, following which the 131 made good their escape.