Suhakam: Significant improvement needed after Malaysia sinks to lowest ever ranking in human trafficking report

PETALING JAYA: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has called on the Malaysian government to significantly step up its efforts in combating people smuggling, after the country was relegated to the tier 3 watch list in an annual human trafficking report published by the United States.

Its acting chairman Datuk Dr Khaw Lake Tee urged the government to give due consideration to some of the commission’s recommendations, as the report found that Malaysia’s efforts in three main aspects of human trafficking - prosecution, protection and prevention – were unsatisfactory.

“Suhakam urges the government to strengthen its mechanisms in prosecuting offenders, protecting victims and deterring human trafficking with the aid of civil society groups, diplomatic missions and relevant stakeholders.

“The government must also provide NGOs with an avenue to offer expertise to its Council for Anti-Trafficking in Persons as many victims are more inclined to approach civil societies for assistance,” Khaw said in a statement Sunday.

Suhakam urged the authorities to ensure human trafficking victims were given health checkups and regular medical care.

“We would also like to ask the government to consider setting up a dedicated court to expedite the resolution of human trafficking cases, with victims being informed of the status of their case,” Khaw added.

The US State Department’s 2014 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, published on Friday, had placed Malaysia at an all-time low ranking after the country failed to adhere to basic international requirements in preventing trafficking and protecting victims.

Although it noted the country’s improved preventative efforts via public service announcements, the report said there were a fewer number of identifications of trafficking victims last year compared to 2012.

It also laid blame on the local authorities for failing to investigate cases brought to them by NGOs, and treating cases as immigration violations instead of possible human trafficking.