KUCHING: Continuous monitoring and enforcement, as well as increased awareness among industry players on good practices in hiring procedures, have contributed to the country's improved position in the Human Trafficking Report released by the US State Department.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the country's latest ranking at Tier 2 showed Malaysia's commitment to dealing with the issue of human trafficking and forced labour.
Therefore, he said, the two main ministries that handle the issue, namely the Home Ministry and the Human Resources Ministry must continue their efforts to find new ways to combat forced labour.
"This year, Malaysia was placed on Tier 2 after being on the Tier 2 Watchlist in 2023.
"Accordingly, both the Home and Human Resources ministries need to implement continuous actions to deal with the issue of forced labour to increase the world's confidence in Malaysia in combating the issue," he said.
He said this when met after attending the Convention Against Worker Exploitation organised by the Manpower Department at the Borneo Kuching Convention Centre here today.
Fadillah said from January to July this year, two cases of human trafficking were reported in the country with both occurring in the peninsula.
In 2023, a total of 12 cases were reported, with 11 cases occurring in the peninsula and another in Sarawak, while in 2022, 16 cases were reported, 15 in the peninsula, and one in Sabah.
Meanwhile, Fadillah, who is also the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, commenting on the sinkhole incident in Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur on Friday, said he hopes there is the latest technology that can provide early warning to avoid tragedies.
He said Kuala Lumpur is vulnerable because the city sits on a base of limestone.
"Water erosion forms an underground cavity that causes the surface area to be weak and collapses easily.
"Therefore, we should have an early warning system like the one used in detecting earthquakes.
"That step needs to be implemented by all agencies, especially the local authorities, the Public Works Department and the Irrigation and Drainage Department," he said.