Australian asylum seekers won't be caned: Bowen

SYDNEY (AAP) - May 26 - The federal government has rejected suggestions asylum seekers it sends to Malaysia under its controversial swap deal could be caned.
A series of Amnesty International reports have detailed how asylum seekers in Malaysia are subjected to abuse and extortion, and live in constant fear of deportation. Thousands are believed to be beaten and caned every year.
But Immigration Minister Chris Bowen on Thursday said up to 800 asylum seekers Australia intends to send to Malaysia - in exchange for 4000 processed refugees - would be treated properly.
"As part of this agreement, Malaysia has undertaken to treat asylum seekers with dignity and respect," Mr Bowen said.
"Advanced negotiations are continuing and this is a firm commitment.
"They will not be caned."
The government is set to finalise the Malaysian deal in the coming weeks.
The government has also expressed interest in negotiating similar deals with other countries in the region.
But Thailand on Thursday joined Indonesia by indicating it was not seeking to be part of such a deal.
Speaking on the sidelines of a conference in Bali, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said his government was aware of the Malaysian deal.
But asked if Thailand might be interested in entering a similar arrangement, he said: "No, not in that sense".
Malaysian Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the deal was already having an impact, with fewer people entering his country seeking refugee protection.
"People in crisis-ridden Middle East countries like Libya are now moving out to Europe," he said.
The federal opposition led its question time attack on the government with a series of questions on the Malaysia deal.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard accused the coalition of returning to the "old faithful" topic of asylum seekers to distract from its own internal problems.
"With so many divisions on that side of the parliament to cover up they have obviously decided to go back to the thing they think they can profit from," she said.
Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison claimed asylum seekers might be able to take advantage of new government legislation to avoid being sent to Malaysia.
A bill passed by the lower house this week seeks to extend the criteria under which asylum seekers can apply for protection visas.
But Mr Bowen said Mr Morrison's claim was completely untrue.
"He has completely misrepresented the complementary protection legislation once again, as he has previously," Mr Bowen said.
Mr Bowen pointed out Mr Morrison last year proposed a policy similar to the Malaysia deal - but with Iran.
"I wonder how he would have gone negotiating the protection that this government has negotiated with President Ahmadinejad."
The parliamentary fireworks coincided with the release of a new Human Rights Commission report that expresses concern about the rising tide of self-harm and suicide in Australia's detention centres.
During a visit to Sydney's Villawood Detention Centre the commission found 60 per cent of the 400 detainees had been held for more than six months while 45 per cent had been there for more than a year.
"What we saw at Villawood was the result of the system of mandatory and indefinite detention, where people can see no end in sight," said commission president Catherine Branson.
"We saw people scarred from self-harming. We heard others talk of sleepless nights, days of depression and frequent thoughts of suicide."
Mr Morrison's call for an inquiry into the detention system is expected to be debated by parliament early next week.