Email this page

News & Updates

Police in Malaysia: "We Are Doing All We Can on Human Trafficking"

The deputy inspector-general of police rejected allegations that the force was not doing enough to investigate human trafficking cases.

Tan Sri Ismail Omar said the proof that police were giving attention to such cases lay in their records.

He said the United States State Department had no basis to put Malaysia in Tier 3 of its Trafficking in Persons blacklist or to make allegations that the force had not done its best to counter the problem.

Ismail said the force will continue to do so until the issue was resolved.

"Although there are many challenges and factors in curbing the problem, we have managed to take appropriate action based on the power given to us and the laws of the country."

Ismail said policemen had been stationed at border areas and other "hot" spots for those attempting to smuggle illegals into the country, adding that the force also worked closely with other enforcement agencies in the country such as Customs, Immigration and the Anti-Smuggling Unit.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said Malaysia was waiting for a written reply from the United States embassy on its government's list of top trafficking offenders. He said he was told the report would be submitted soon.

"I want to know which aspects they are referring to. They have to be more specific and should not make accusations without backing their claims," he said. He said the government would take all steps under its jurisdiction to overcome the problem if it was within its control. "The issues regarding human trafficking cannot be overcome overnight. We need to get an accurate account from the embassy."

He said Malaysia was blacklisted in 2001 but its ranking improved to Tier 2 in the subsequent years until 2007, when it was relegated to Tier 3. Last year, after the enactment of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act 2007, Malaysia was again elevated to Tier 2.

Malaysia is listed with 16 other countries in Tier 3 this year, including six newly-added African nations.

Adapted from: Fadhal A. Ghani and Sajahan Abdul Waheed, "Police: We're doing all we can on human trafficking," New Straits Times, 20 June 2009.