US$51.47 MILLION SPENT TO HOUSE FOREIGN PRISONERS

PUTRAJAYA, March 24 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government has spent RM171
million (US$51.47 million) (US$1=RM3.3) to house 81,396 foreign prisoners last
year or at an average of 13,392 a day, said Home Minister Hishammuddin Tun
Hussein.

He said the cost implications comprised an allocation to manage lock-ups,
prisons and Immigration depots.

Thirteen depots housed a total of 408,979 foreign detainees from 2006 to
2008 at the rate of 102,244 a year, he told reporters after meeting members of a
laboratory on foreign workers management here Tuesday.

The government spent RM341,881 on food for detainees housed at immigration
depots last year, he said, adding that RM35 million was spent to deport them
from 2007 till last year.

Hishammuddin said the government also had to bear direct and indirect costs
like security, social implications, healthcare and subsidies like fuel, which
were also enjoyed by foreigners.

"We hope the lab will carry out a cost-benefit analysis on data and
information gathered from all ministries and agencies as well as the private
sector comprehensively and accurately," he said.

He said the laboratory, which comprised 33 members from the ministry and its
agencies, started work today to find solutions in the management and monitoring
of foreign workers.

They have one month to submit the mechanism and its implications on the
construction, manufacturing, services, tourism and agriculture industries, he
said adding that the report would be submitted to a cabinet committee.

-- BERNAMA