Migration, forced labour in UK-M'sia strategic dialogue agenda

PUTRAJAYA: Migration and forced labour have been proposed as among the permanent agenda of the United Kingdom-Malaysia Strategic Dialogue, which would be held annually from this year.

Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan (pic), who is now on a working visit to the United Kingdom (UK), said he would be raising the proposal which was also welcomed by UK in the coming Cabinet meeting.

"I believe the effort would produce positive results as the issue of migration and forced labour need to be handled with strategic cooperation with various stakeholders,” he said in a statement issued on Thursday (March 24).

When in UK, Saravanan held talks with UK’s Migration and Modern Slavery Envoy, Andrew Patrick on March 23 which was also attended by delegations from various UK departments and agencies on the implementation of Modern Slavery Act 2015 in which he shared the initiatives of the government in combating labour issues.

"He (Patrick) agreed that forced labour issue is closely linked to migration and was prepared to foster closer cooperation to eradicate forced labour holistically,” he said.

Saravanan said Patrick also congratulated the government on the commitment shown, especially in ratifying the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on forced labour ( Protocol 29).

Malaysia has deposited its Protocol 29 ratification which is a protocol to the Forced Labour Convention on Monday (March 21) as part of the government’s move to combat the issue, as well as a commitment at the international level.

According to Saravanan, the UK took a different approach to export restrictions imposed by the United States, in which UK emphasised more on preventive actions and corrections taken by companies involved in forced labour practices.

UK also imposes heavy penalties on companies identified as practising forced labour in its supply chain. - Bernama