The Crushing Impact: A Shadow Over Childhood — Dr Musa Mohd Nordin, Prof Thiyagar Nadarajaw & Dr Hartini Zainudin

We are a nation built on the values of Rahmah, which means mercy and compassion. When we hear the headlines about children in our detention centres, known as immigration depots, we must ask ourselves a simple, human question: What did these children do to deserve this?

The truth is, they are not criminals. They are children, our anak-anak who have been displaced, often fleeing from violence, conflict, or simply trying to reach their parents to find love, care, and comfort.

Whether they are seeking asylum as a Rohingya child, or simply the undocumented dependent of a migrant worker from a neighbouring country, their presence in Malaysia reflects a global challenge.

The Home Minister has stated that as of August 31, 2025, 2,196 children were held in immigration depots.

This article is not intended to critique policy, but to look at the evidence-based impact of detention on a child’s heart and mind, and to highlight the humane, practical solutions that can help us uphold our collective conscience.

The Problem: A Developmental Crisis

For a child, detention, even for a short period is a source of toxic stress, which is a prolonged activation of the body’s stress response that can literally disrupt a developing brain.

The world’s leading pediatric and mental health experts are unequivocal: detention is never in the best interests of a child. The consequences are severe.

The Shadow of Trauma: Many of these children arrive in Malaysia already traumatised by the violence or displacement they fled (forcible displacement).

Being confined in a facility, often with limited freedom, little access to education or play, and constant uncertainty, simply piles new trauma onto old.

Studies show detained children suffer from alarmingly high rates of serious mental health issues, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.

These wounds manifest as trouble sleeping, difficulty eating, and emotional and behavioural problems, just to name a few.

Harm to the Family Unit: The stress of detention can cripple a parent’s ability to function as a caregiver.

When parents are suffering from their own psychological distress, their ability to provide the emotional protection and security their child needs is severely compromised.

In detention, the family unit, which is the child’s most important source of resilience, begins to break down.

Developmental Issues: When a child’s life lacks stability, safety, and meaningful stimulation, their development is halted.

Prolonged detention, which is sadly common, means missed years of essential education and socialisation, leading to long-term issues that extend well into adulthood.

These are not temporary problems; research indicate that symptoms of depression and anxiety often persist for years after release.

The Commitment To Change: Building On Current Efforts

It is important to acknowledge the progress that has been made in recognising this issue.

As mentioned, our nation’s leadership has publicly affirmed the principle that children should not be held in immigration depots, reflecting a desire to align our practices with our values and obligations under the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

This commitment has materialised in the form of initiatives like the establishment of Baitul Mahabbah centres. These specialised accommodations are a commendable step towards moving children aged 10 and under out of the shared, harsh environment of standard depots.

As immigration officers are primarily trained in security and administrative duties, additional child-centred training would further strengthen the care environment for children.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Home Affairs has signalled its intent to further reform by developing working papers on shifting children out of detention entirely.

However, in reality, there are limitations to these centres. As of late 2025, the centres have held only 170 (7.7 per cent) children and are not portrayed as a genuine alternative to detention.

A clear and evolving political will is needed to address a complex humanitarian challenge in providing a crucial foundation.

Only then upon which we, as a compassionate society, can build a comprehensive and truly protective system.

This evolution in policy is also strongly supported by the medical fraternity. The recent Kinabalu Declaration explicitly calls for the prevention of child detention in immigration centres, urging for ethical standards that respect the dignity of every child in conflict with the law. [1]

The Solution: Practical And Community-Based

The good news is that we do not have to choose between upholding our laws and protecting our children.

The most effective, humane, and often more cost-efficient solution lies in community-based alternatives to detention (ATD).

This is a path forward that aligns perfectly with our national spirit of compassion, or Rahmah, and respects Malaysia’s commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

The Case Management Model

Instead of confinement, the most successful global models involve placing children and their families in open, non-custodial settings within the community. This system relies on:

Holistic Support: Organisations specialising in child welfare and community integration can provide a systematic, trust-based approach.

They help families and children access essential services like health care, psychosocial support (counselling for trauma), and education, while monitoring their well-being.

Partnership: This requires stronger collaboration between government agencies (like the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development) and experienced civil society organisations.

This allows the government to focus on administrative processes while transferring the specialised function of child protection to those best equipped for it.

Prioritising Family And Development

The solutions must focus on restoring what detention takes away:

Family Unity: The priority must be to keep children with their parents or guardians in the community.

For unaccompanied minors, the focus should be on immediate placement with a vetted family member, a community guardian, or in specialised, family-like care homes, rather than institutional settings (advocating for children affected by detention — SUKA Society).

Access to Rights: Community placement immediately restores a child’s right to health and development.

It allows refugee and migrant children, regardless of status, to be linked to medical care and essential social services, addressing the long-term health disparities caused by their migratory journey and detention.

Our regional neighbours, such as Thailand, have already implemented memorandums of understanding to end the detention of children. Malaysia, as a regional leader, has the capacity and the moral grounding to champion this cause.

By embracing a true community-based ATD model, we move past the debate over security and instead focus on a solution that is both effective for migration management and deeply protective of a child’s fundamental right to grow up safely.

The way forward is clear; to ensure the rights and well-being of every child on Malaysian soil, we must choose compassion over confinement.

We must ensure their future is built on hope, not the shadow of a depot wall. Maybe we should enhance the foster care approach in Malaysia.

Lauding the government’s interest for reforms, the goal however is to have a child focused, community-based alternative that upholds the dignity, safety and the fundamental rights of every child. The right to grow, heal, and thrive in a family or supportive environment.

Dr Musa Mohd Nordin and Prof Thiyagar Nadarajaw are from the Malaysian Paediatric Association, and Dr Hartini Zainudin is from Yayasan Chow Kit.