KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has rejected a habeas corpus application filed by six Chinese women seeking their immediate release from detention under the control and custody of the Bukit Jalil Immigration Detention Depot commander.
They are engineer Fu Xiaoling, 40; opera artist Fu Xiaoyan, 37; technical consultant Zhong Li, 27; accounting assistant Ai Xi, 31; model Huang Ting, 33; and visitor pass holder Zhao Jinming, 26.
Justice Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid, in making the decision Wednesday (Oct 16), said that after examining the entirety of the affidavits filed by both parties, the court found that the two issues raised by the applicants were not in their favour.
“Therefore, the court rejects this habeas corpus application,” he said.
The proceedings were attended by lawyer J. Matthews, who represented the six women, while Senior Federal Counsel Mohd Zain Ibrahim represented the Immigration Department, its director-general, the Home Minister, the depot commander and the government, who were named as respondents.
The six women made the filing on Sept 9 seeking unconditional immediate release from detention.
In a supporting affidavit, Matthews said the women were detained by the Immigration Department during a raid at an entertainment centre on Aug 22, and after their remand period ended, they were ordered to be deported despite having valid entry visas to Malaysia.
He claimed that the applicants, who hold valid work permits and visitor passes, have also not been convicted of or sentenced for any offence related to their arrest since Aug 22.
He said the detention and deportation orders issued against the applicants were premature, unsupported by solid evidence, and constituted an abuse of power and an action exceeding the provisions of the Immigration Act 1959/1963.
After the proceedings, Matthews told reporters that his team would be filing an appeal in the Court of Appeal soon. – Bernama
