Malaysia climbs out of lowest tier in US human trafficking ranking

 

Malaysia is no longer lumped in the lowest tier countries in the 2023 edition of the US State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report.

The newly launched report now placed Malaysia in the Tier 2 Watch List, which are countries that do not fully meet the US minimum standards on fighting human trafficking but are making significant efforts.

Other countries on the watch list are Mozambique, Egypt, Iraq, Eswatini, Brunei, and Vietnam.

Malaysia was in Tier 2 in 2017 and Tier 2 Watch List from 2018 to 2020. However, Malaysia was in Tier 3 in 2021 and 2022.

Countries listed as Tier 3 may face restrictions of assistance from the US, sanctions, or ineligibility to trade benefits.

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail is expected to hold a press conference on this matter this afternoon.

According to the report, Malaysia has made key achievements including more investigations, prosecutions, and convictions of traffickers and complicit officials.

"The government also identified more victims; initiated efforts and provided funding to raise awareness of trafficking on palm oil plantations; and increased training – including on employing a trauma-informed approach, victim identification, and amendments to the anti-trafficking law – for officials, law enforcement, and victims service providers.

"The government facilitated greater freedom of movement among victims receiving services in government facilities and granted more victims permission to work; it also increased funding for victim shelters," said the report.

However, the Malaysian government did not meet the minimum standards by failing to sufficiently criminally prosecute labour traffickers in the palm oil and disposable glove manufacturing industry.

Malaysia was also criticised for proactively identifying victims, including forced labour victims, during law enforcement raids or among vulnerable populations with whom authorities came in contact, leading to the detention and deportation of some unidentified trafficking victims.

"Delays in prosecution, insufficient interagency coordination, and inadequate services for victims discouraged foreign victims originating from foreign countries from remaining in Malaysia to participate in criminal proceedings and continued to hinder successful anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts," said the report.