Eradicating human trafficking: Saifuddin Nasution (second from right) visiting an exhibition at the WDAT event in Putrajaya. — Bernama
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s action plan to eradicate human trafficking in the country has proved successful thus far.
The government is now drafting the National Action Plan on Anti-Trafficking in Persons 2026-2030 (Naptip 4.0) to continue the efforts, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Naptip 3.0’s four pillars – enforcement and prosecution, protection, prevention and strategic collaboration – will be continued under the new plan which will prioritise strengthening victim identification in high-risk sectors.
It will also focus on improving investigations and prosecutions – including actions against errant civil servants – and enhancing interpreter access and case management coordination.
Calling human trafficking “a heinous crime that strips individuals of their dignity and freedom”, Saifuddin Nasution reaffirmed Malaysia’s zero-tolerance on the matter.
“Naptip 4.0 will also empower Victim Assistance Specialists in Sabah and Sarawak, promote data integration and enforcement digitalisation, and standardise victim protection nationwide,” he said during the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2025 (WDAT 2025) launch here yesterday.
He said cross-agency and intergovernmental cooperation, including with NGOs, will be reinforced.
Malaysia has retained its Tier 2 ranking in the US State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report.
This recognition, Saifuddin Nasution said, shows international confidence in Malaysia’s continued commitment to dismantling syndicates and advancing victim-centred recovery.
WDAT 2025 was organised by the Home Ministry through the National Strategic Office and the Council for Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (NSO MAPO).
The United Nations has designated July 30 each year as WDAT under its Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin Nasution said authorities are working to identify victims from the recent tragedy off Langkawi, where a boat, believed to be carrying hundreds of Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants, capsized.
He said police are trying to determine their nationalities and points of departure.
“If documents are found, we can identify their countries of origin. If not, they will be categorised as immigration offenders for entering without valid papers,” he explained.
The search and rescue (SAR) operation, led by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), now covers 460sq km, with assets from the Navy, Marine Police and Fisheries Department.
Though the tragedy occurred in Thai waters near Tarutao Island, Saifuddin said bodies and survivors drifted into Malaysian waters due to strong monsoon winds.
“The victims washed ashore here are our responsibility,” he said.
