KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 — With the severity of human trafficking becoming a major cause of concern globally, it is high time to provide survivor-centred and trauma-informed services to support and protect the victims of the heinous crime.
Keeping in mind the special needs of women and children, Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said it was important to ensure proper shelter, counselling, medical, psychological, and material assistance granted to the victims of human trafficking.
The chairman of the Council for Anti-Trafficking In Persons (TIP) and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (MAPO) said the gravity and severity of human trafficking in general, is an issue of major international concern and discussion.
“It involves gross violations of human rights through the transnational or domestic movement of people for the purpose of exploitation, besides being a lucrative business to syndicates which involves an enormous sum of money which can hinder the development of the society, be it socially or economically.
“By saying this, we should provide survivor-centred and trauma-informed services to support and protect (human trafficking) victims,” he said in his speech when opening the Seminar on Capacity Building on TIP Prevention and Protection here, which is fully supported and funded by the United States (US) Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Wan Ahmad Dahlan’s text speech was read out by Syuhaida Abdul Wahab Zen, Undersecretary, National Strategic Office to MAPO under the Home Ministry.
Meanwhile, United States Ambassador to Malaysia Brian McFeeters, in his special remarks at the event said TIP occurs throughout the world and the victims could be found in every country, including Malaysia and the United States and thus require a coordinated and meaningful anti-trafficking response at all levels.
“At the US embassy, we recognise that effective anti-trafficking responses require coordination and cooperation, and we are fully committed to supporting the Malaysian government and other relevant stakeholders to put a stop to this menace.
“We continue to fund programmes and campaigns focused on prevention, protection, and prosecution of trafficking-in-persons cases to support and advance Malaysia’s anti-trafficking efforts,” he said, adding that January is known as Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
The three-day seminar which ends on February 1 organised by the Faculty of Law, University Malaya here is designed to improve the anti-trafficking framework and victim protection policies in Malaysia, besides facilitating cooperation and partnerships among participants and set the directions for follow-up measures to prevent and counter human trafficking.
The same seminar will be held at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah from February 20 to February 22.
— Bernama
