ALOR SETAR: More than 690 human trafficking cases were investigated by the enforcement agencies between 2008 and Nov 30 this year, including five cases that occurred in Kedah.
Of the 698 cases, 541 cases were investigated by the Royal Malaysian Police, 137 by the Immigration Department, seven by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, two by the Customs Department and 11 by the Manpower Department.
The Home Ministry’s deputy secretary-general (Security), Datuk Alwi Ibrahim yesterday said the victims totalling 1,641 were saved and given temporary protection.
“With regard to the five cases (0.7 per cent) in Kedah, they were also victims of sex exploitation and forced labour,” he told reporters after launching the Kedah-level Anti-Human Trafficking Awareness Campaign, here.
On the smuggling of migrants, he said 106 cases were recorded from 2010 until now.
Alwi said statistics from the Attorney-General’s (AG) Chambers showed that since 2008 until Dec 16 this year, 547 cases were charged under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, with 273 cases still being tried and 117 cases disposed of.
To curb human trafficking and smuggling of migrants, he said the Home Ministry would step up cooperation with local enforcement agencies as well as those in neighbouring countries in tightening control at the country’s entry points.
Alwi said Malaysia’s location with many entry points along its borders with neighbouring countris like Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei provided room for human smuggling and trafficking syndicates to take their victims in and out of this country.
“Due to Malaysia’s economic stability and prosperity, people from outside are keen to come to this country to visit, study or work.
“But when there are too many of them, our enforcement agencies find it difficult to monitor their movements and this makes it easy for the syndicates to carry out their illegal activities.”
On the awareness campaign, he said it was on-going as many of the victims of the human smuggling and trafficking syndicates were women and children.
Indonesia recorded the highest number of people believed to be victims of human trafficking and given temporary protection, at 1,091 during the six-year period since 2008.
Malaysia is in 9th spot with 119 cases involving 46 female adults, 49 underaged females, six male adults and 18 underaged males. — Bernama