KUCHING: Malaysia’s position in the U.S Department of State’s Human Trafficking Report improved when the country was placed in the Tier 2 Watch List of the report.
Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said this was the result of continuous efforts by various parties and enforcement agencies led by the National Strategic Office Council For Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Human Resources.
“Among the significant deliverables is the increase in the number of cases of investigation and prosecution against human trafficking, the organisation of awareness programmes and increased cooperation between departments and agencies in preventing and combating forced labour,“ he said while speaking at the Convention Council Against Worker Exploitation here, today.
Fadillah who is also the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra) said based on the records obtained, only two cases of forced labour were reported from January to July this year in the peninsula.
For 2023, he said a total of 12 cases were recorded involving 11 cases in Peninsular Malaysia and one case in Sarawak, while a total of 16 cases consisting of 15 cases in Peninsular Malaysia and one case in Sabah were recorded in 2022.
“Article 6 of the Federal Constitution states that no one can be held as a slave and all forms of forced labour are prohibited.
“Migrant workers who are documented or undocumented are entitled to constitutional rights in Malaysia. Therefore, it is the duty of enforcement officers to protect every victim of forced labour in Malaysia,“ he said.
