PUTRAJAYA: The Home Affairs Ministry (KDN) today refuted that the gaunt condition of detainees at the Kimanis Immigration Detention Depot was caused by the poor treatment of the Immigration Department.

Its minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said he had been informed by the department that the detainees were already very thin before entering the detention depot.

“First, we have to look at the subject involved, is it an ordinary citizen who practices a healthy lifestyle or is he also actually involved in activities that cause the physical body to weaken,” he said at a press conference after a briefing on the operation of the Immigration Department with the top management, here today.

He was commenting on a viral video involving detainees at the depot which, among other things, claimed that they were not given enough food and were mistreated by the department.

Yesterday, a 90-second video went viral showing a man who introduced himself as Solomon pleading with Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor for him and his friends to be released as soon as possible. – Bernama