2009/06/18 - Malaysia wants US to explain trafficking listing

Malaysia will seek an explanation from the United States embassy on its government's report which placed Malaysia on its list of top trafficking offenders.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday making judgments beyond Kuala Lumpur's control would be unfair."I need to know what it was that has become an issue. If it is within our control, we will do whatever we can to overcome it, but, of course, there are limitations."Our borders and shorelines are very porous and they should be realistic about this and take all this into consideration." He said issues regarding human trafficking could not be solved overnight.
"We will get an accurate and true account from the embassy. Like what we did in 2007, this is nothing new."Malaysia was blacklisted in 2001 but its ranking improved to Tier 2 in subsequent years until 2007, when it was relegated to Tier 3. Last year, after the enactment of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act 2007, Malaysia was again elevated to Tier 2.Hishammuddin said he was not surprised with the report but Kuala Lumpur would not submit any protest note.Malaysia is listed with 16 other countries in Tier 3 this year, including six newly-added African nations.Tier 3 countries face possible sanctions such as the withholding of non-humanitarian, non-trade related US aid."What is there as the impact? If an economic sanction is to be imposed, it will not affect our position in this present economic slowdown."Human trafficking is an international issue and they have no teeth, except to put Malaysia at that level. However, this does not mean that Malaysia has no responsibility towards the world community."Hishammuddin stressed that it was incumbent upon Malaysia to address the problem.To prove a point, he said he had spoken to the British high commissioner to Malaysia on the matter recently."My colleague from Australia will be here to sign a memorandum of understanding on trafficking. We will also work with the US on this."Hishammuddin said a tripartite agreement on human trafficking was timely "but without any threat or sanctions, and without pressure on us".He said Malaysia wanted to be part of the international community and would do whatever it could within its capacity to address the issues."We have come up with the (Anti-Trafficking in Persons) Act. The situation has been remedied but now, I have to find out the truth about this."Hishammuddin also said the cabinet committee on foreign workers and the committee on legal workers had been combined into one and would be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin."They will discuss issues on refugees, illegal workers, street children and others. "We are fully aware of our responsibility to address these issues. I will do it without any pressure from anybody because that is our responsibility," he said, adding that Muhyiddin would chair the first meeting soon.
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