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Malaysia Not Doing Enough to Combat Human Trafficking

Malaysia has not done enough to combat human trafficking and needs to set up legislation and procedures to address this problem, said an official from the United States Department of State.

Ambassador John R. Miller, director of the department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, said: "I am very disappointed at the lack of effort to meet this challenge in Malaysia." "Malaysia may be in the big league economically but it is not in the big league in the worldwide fight against slavery," he told reporters on Nov 10, during a three-day visit to Kuala Lumpur.

The largest category is sex slavery or forced prostitution, followed by domestic servitude, including child slavery and farm slavery, he said. Malaysia is seen as a destination country. This is what happens to wealthier countries, and has happened in Europe and America, he said.

During his visit to Kuala Lumpur, Miller met officials from the Immigration Department, Attorney-General's Chambers, police, Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

He also met various organisations that work to combat the problem, such as Tenaganita, the Women's Aid Organisation and Datuk Michael Chong, who heads the MCA Public Service and Complaints Department. "I think there is a need for an anti-trafficking law," Miller said, adding that 41 countries had passed such a legislation last year.

He also observed that there was little effort by the authorities to identify the victims and take that information to prosecute the perpetrators. "We have read of people being arrested and deported but little of them being prosecuted. Countries need to find out if the people detained are victims of slavery and address the problem," Miller said.

Miller said these recommendations were consistent with those made in Suhakam's report, ‘Trafficking in Women and Children, 2004'. He stressed he was not against economic migration but pointed out that there had to be enforcement to prosecute human traffickers.

Adapted from: "Malaysia not doing enough to combat human trafficking, says ambassador." The Sun Daily. 23 November 2006. (Source: UNIAP Cambodia)