High-level panel to tackle human trafficking

The New Straits Times
by KOI KYE LEE AND KRISTY INUS

SEPANG: THE Home Ministry has agreed to form a high-level committee to deal with 

human trafficking issues.

The decision to set up the committee came about during a meeting by the Council for Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Mapo).

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the committee would be tasked to deal with human trafficking matters in Malaysia.

He said the committee was the way forward for Malaysia in addressing recommendations made in the United States Department of State Trafficking In Persons (USTIP) Report 2014.

“Certain recommendations in the USTIP Report 2014 requires amendments to the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007, particularly the proposal for trafficking victims being allowed to stay outside shelter homes, as well as the freedom to move and take up employment.

“These matters will be thoroughly studied by the Legislative Committee headed by the Attorney-General’s Chambers under Mapo.”

On non-governmental organisations’ (NGO) participation in victims’ protection, the minister said work with local NGOs would continue.

“The government will continue working with the NGOs concerning psychosocial health, therapy, case management, counseling and medical services.”

Earlier, Zahid met US Ambassador-At-Large on Trafficking in Persons Luis CdeBaca.

The main purpose of CdeBaca’s visit was to engage Malaysian ministers and government officials following the release of the USTIP Report 2014 on June 20.

Zahid said the visit was the best platform for Malaysia to engage with the US and better understand measures or actions that were essential to improve the nation’s tier rating for the next evaluation year.

Among the issues highlighted in the report was that the Malaysian government had failed to comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and was deemed as not making any significant effort to comply with the minimum standards.

Several issues in the report require rectification on the part of the Malaysian government, especially on victims’ protection.

In the 2012 and 2013 reports, Malaysia was granted consecutive waivers. However, a waiver is no longer available given the nation’s demotion to Tier 3.

Meanwhile, in Kota Kinabalu, Zahid said the restructuring of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) would see a review of its operations, including its standard operating procedure (SOP).

“We know no SOP is perfect ... it depends on situational changes, we need to be specific — on demands including from the public.

“Having assets and manpower is not enough, we also need intelligence and the gathering of information. This is something we are working on, with assistance from the Philippines.

“We thank the prime minister for believing in us, and hopefully this will be a new era in fine-tuning Esscom operations,” he said, adding that Esscom would be officially taken over by the Royal Malaysia Police on July 15.

Speaking to reporters at the breaking of fast with ministry staff in Sabah, Zahid said the appointment of Deputy Commissioner of Police Datuk Abd Rashid Harun as Esscom commander was apt, considering his vast experience in the force.

Regarding the status of Esscom director-general Datuk Mohammad Mentek, he said, it would be decided by the National Security Council and the prime minister.

Present at the event was Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Zinin.