MALAYSIA’S latest ranking on Tier 3 in the United States’ Trafficking in Persons Report 2022 does not inspire confidence in solving labour issues with Indonesia, Lim Guan Eng said.

The DAP chairman said it is crucial now that Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob steps in to work with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on resolving the freeze of workers coming to Malaysia.

“The latest report does not inspire confidence that Malaysia is taking concrete steps to resolve the concerns of Indonesia to protect their foreign workers.

“Coupled with the Indonesian Ambassador calling Malaysia a ‘disgrace’, there is a severe trust deficit that only the prime minister’s personal intervention can overcome,” Lim said in a statement.

Last week, Indonesia had imposed a temporary freeze on all workers entering Malaysia due to a breach in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on domestic workers signed between the two countries three months ago.

According to the Trafficking in Persons Report, for the second consecutive year, Malaysia will remain in Tier 3 after having failed to meet the minimum standards in its efforts to eliminate human trafficking.

Malaysia is in the company of 21 other countries including Afghanistan, China, Syria, South Sudan and Venezuela.

The US State Department said in the report that Putrajaya had taken some steps, such as amending the anti-trafficking law and the Employment Act to include a wider definition of forced labour to address trafficking, but it was not enough.

“The government of Malaysia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so,” the report said.

Lim said that Ismail and Jokowi could overcome the freeze on Indonesian workers easily with a stroke of a pen.

He added that despite assurances from Malaysian officials that the labour problem was resolved, there was no confirmation from the Indonesian Embassy as to when workers coming to Malaysia could resume.

“Ismail should reassure Indonesia of the concrete steps taken to protect migrant labour rights in the country.” – July 20, 2022.