KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (pix) has reiterated Malaysia's commitment to stop human trafficking.
Malaysia's collective efforts in combating human trafficking locally and regionally are bearing fruit as the country improved its position in the United States' Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, Najib said in a post on Facebook.
While remaining in Tier 2, Malaysia was taken off the watchlist in the 2017 report.
"Well done to those who have worked tirelessly to achieve this. We remain committed to stopping trafficking, protecting the victims and prosecuting the traffickers," said Najib.
Tier 2 is accorded to the governments of countries that do not fully meet the Trafficking Victims Protection Act minimum standards but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.
The Tier 2 watchlist is similar to Tier 2, but with three additional criteria, including the failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts and where the number of victims is significant or increasing.
According to the report, the Malaysian government demonstrated increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period, which enabled it to be upgraded to Tier 2.
"The government demonstrated increasing efforts by expanding trafficking investigations, prosecutions, and convictions," said the report.
The report also commended Malaysia's effort in establishing the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Task Force to galvanise coordinated anti-trafficking operations.
Malaysia targets to attain Tier 1 status in the Trafficking in Persons Report 2020. - Bernama.
Related story:
Salleh Keruak: Trafficking report upgrade shows Malaysia's efforts in tackling problem
