Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
Ambassador John R. Miller, director of the department’s Office to Monitor and
Combat Trafficking in Persons, said: "I am very disappointed at the lack
of effort to meet this challenge in Malaysia."
<p>He said a country like Malaysia, which he noted had reached a high level of
human development in the latest United Nations’ Human Development Index, had
the responsibility to employ its growing resources to address the problem.</p>
<p>"Malaysia may be in the big league economically but it is not in the big
league in the worldwide fight against slavery," he told reporters on Nov
10, during a three-day visit to Kuala Lumpur.</p>
<p>The office he heads coordinates the US government’s activities in global efforts
to fight against human trafficking, which is seen as a form of modern-day slavery.
This can range from forced labour to sexual exploitation, and is estimated to
affect some 800,000 women, children and men worldwide every year.</p>
<p>"It takes place in every country of the world, including the US and Malaysia.
It takes different forms," Miller said.</p>
<p>The largest category is sex slavery or forced prostitution, followed by domestic
servitude, including child slavery and farm slavery, he said.</p>
<p>He added that the two biggest challenges in Asia were related to sex trafficking
and migrant workers, many of whom fall into domestic slavery.</p>
<p>Malaysia is seen as a destination country. This is what happens to wealthier
countries, and has happened in Europe and America, he said.</p>
<p>During his visit to Kuala Lumpur, Miller met officials from the Immigration
Department, Attorney-General’s Chambers, police, Human Rights Commission (Suhakam),
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz and
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul
Jalil.</p>
<p>He also met various organisations that work to combat the problem, such as
Tenaganita, the Women’s Aid Organisation and Datuk Michael Chong, who heads
the MCA Public Service and Complaints Department.</p>
<p>"I think there is a need for an anti-trafficking law," Miller said,
adding that 41 countries had passed such a legislation last year.</p>
<p>He also observed that there was little effort by the authorities to identify
the victims and take that information to prosecute the perpetrators.</p>
<p>"We have read of people being arrested and deported but little of them
being prosecuted. Countries need to find out if the people detained are victims
of slavery and address the problem," Miller said.</p>
<p>Miller said these recommendations were consistent with those made in Suhakam’s
report, ‘Trafficking in Women and Children, 2004’.</p>
<p>He stressed he was not against economic migration but pointed out that there
had to be enforcement to prosecute human traffickers.</p>
<p>The Department of State has a three-tier categorisation system for countries
that measures the severity of the problem. Countries that are not significantly
engaged in human trafficking come under Tier 1. Those that are complicit but
are also making efforts to tackle the problem are in Tier 2. Tier 3 countries
are those that are most egregious in trafficking and can be subject to US sanctions.
Malaysia is in the Tier-2 Watchlist.
Address: Wisma MTUC,10-5, Jalan USJ 9/5T, 47620 Subang Jaya,Selangor | Tel: 03-80242953 | Fax: 03-80243225 | Email: sgmtuc@gmail.com.com