KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 17,896 illegal immigrants (PATI) are held across immigration detention centres as of July 6, 2025, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
The Home Minister said the detainees are housed in 20 facilities operated by the Immigration Department, including 18 permanent depots and two temporary depots.
He added that there are six child detention centres, known as Baitul Mahabbah, for foreign minors.
“The total capacity of Immigration Department detention centres is 21,530 individuals,” he said in a written reply to Syerleena Abdul Rashid (PH–Bukit Bendera).
“At any time, the number detained across all depots ranges between 16,000 and 18,000, depending on arrests and deportations,” he said.
Syerleena had asked for the number of detention centres, detainee counts at each, and whether any hold UNHCR status.
Of the current total, 78% or 13,992 detainees are men, while 22% or 3,974 are women, said the minister.
Four nationalities account for 90.7% of all PATI detainees, led by Myanmar with 7,453 individuals.
They are followed by Indonesia with 3,817 and Bangladesh with 1,136, he said.
“The average detention period ranges from 0 to 3 years. It is noted that none of the detainees as of July 6, 2025 are UNHCR cardholders,” he said.
“However, a total of 4,719 detainees are of Rohingya ethnicity from Myanmar,” added Saifuddin.
