M. Ramachelvam said the government should adopt effective steps to implement the “Prioritised Recommendations” in the Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report released by the United States. — Bernama file photo
KUCHING (July 4): The government has been urged to put in place an efficient and effective system to eliminate human trafficking so as to meet global standards.
In making this call today, National Society for Human Rights (Hakam) deputy president Datuk Seri M. Ramachelvam said the government should adopt effective steps to implement the “Prioritised Recommendations” in the Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report released by the United States.
“Malaysia has been downgraded to Tier 3 in the 2021 United States Department of State’s TIP Report. Tier 3 is the worst tier ranking in the TIP Report.
“The 2021 TIP report states that ‘The Government of Malaysia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, even considering the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore, Malaysia was downgraded to Tier 3’.
“The 2021 Tip Report has highlighted the authorities failure to proactively identify victims; insufficient interagency coordination; inadequate victim services; corruption and official complicity that facilitated trafficking and impeded anti-trafficking efforts,” he said in a statement.
Ramachelvam pointed out that the 2021 TIP Report had identified forced labour as the predominant trafficking crime in Malaysia.
He said the same Report also stated that “The overwhelming majority of victims are among the estimated two million documented and the even greater number of undocumented workers in Malaysia.”
He added that debt-based coercion of migrants involving onerous recruitment fees had also been identified as a major issue in the Report.
“The Report further states that the government did not adequately screen asylum seekers and refugees for indicators of trafficking.”
He said Malaysia may be subject to funding restrictions pursuant to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act 2000 for being placed on Tier 3.
Ramachelvam said the government of Malaysia should take responsibility for the failure to eliminate human trafficking which is one of the most heinous crimes.
He also called upon the government to make public and implement the recommendations made by the “Independent Committee on the Management of Foreign Workers (2019)”.
“The government should also implement appropriate legal and administrative framework for migrants including undocumented migrants, stateless persons, refugees and asylum seekers to ensure that their rights are adequately protected; and that their vulnerability to human trafficking is removed,” he added.