ON the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) wishes to remind all on the existence and continued occurrence of human trafficking within and beyond our national borders.

Human trafficking is a lucrative trade that remains rampant despite its illegality worldwide. Traffickers prey on those who are vulnerable, desperate and unsuspecting; giving false promises and misleading information at the start, which may then progress to threats, aggression or violence later for the sake of profiteering.

People who are trafficked are at high risk of being sexually exploited, forced into marriages, involved in forced labour or suffer crimes, such as deaths, as in the case of mass graves discovered in 2015 at Wang Kelian in Perlis.

The Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Act 670) (ATIPSOM Act) is the specific legislation that addresses human trafficking in Malaysia.

In view of the gravity of the issue, Suhakam urges the government to focus on:

* identifying weaknesses (thereby strengthening) the Malaysian border enforcement infrastructure to deny traffickers any opportunity to carry out their heinous practices;

* intensifying efforts to prosecute and convict traffickers and those abetting in such activities;

* to provide all forms of necessary assistance, including legal aid, humanitarian supplies and access to basic services to victims of trafficking.

Article 8(1) of the federal constitution states that “All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law”, while Article 6(1) and (2) establishes that no person shall be held in slavery and forced labour is prohibited.

Suhakam calls for the government to urgently release the report and findings of the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into the Wang Kelian tragedy, involving human-trafficking syndicates and subsequent obstruction of justice by enforcement authorities.

Justice must be served for those who have died, nameless as they are. More importantly, what are the lessons learnt and Malaysia’s response to avoid a recurrence of such a tragedy in the future, remains to be seen. – July 31, 2020.

* Suhakam is the national human rights institution in Malaysia.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.