Human rights group Suaram has urged the government to close down the Simpang Renggam detention centre in Johor.

Suaram was responding to the cabinet's decision to assign four ministers to check on the complaints of abuse and poor conditions at the centre.

Last week, Works Minister S Samy Vellu said he and three other ministers will visit the centre and produce a report on their findings and proposals.

The other ministers are Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Effendi Norwawi, Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn dan Health Minister Dr Chua Soi Lek.

In a statement today, Suaram welcomed the visit and urged for the findings to be made public. However, it said the visit was not sufficient to address the root-causes of the problems.

"The detainees are deprived of basic rights such as the right to trial. Their indefinite detention without trial puts detainees at the mercy of the prison authority where abuses could take place with total impunity," it added.

Simpang Renggam holds some 4,000 inmates detained without trial under the Emergency Ordinance 1969 and the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985.

Charge or release them

Suaram urged the four ministers to push for the abolishment of detention without trial and the centre's closure.

"All the detainees should be charged in court or released," it said.

Recently, Simpang Renggam inmates had alleged that they were beaten by the warders, resulting in 16 being sent to the hospital for treatment.

One inmate, who contacted malaysiakini shortly after the incident, claimed that ratan canes and batons were used to beat them after they were made to squat on the floor.

Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) commissioner N Siva Subramaniam who visited the centre after the incident, said there was prima facie evidence of abuse by the warders.

The commissioner also gave the police a one-month deadline to probe the incident, failing which, he said a public inquiry will be launched.