The Malaysian Government said on 30 June that it is considering amending laws on human trafficking and migration.

Illustrative image (Source: theindependent)

Several days earlier, the US Department of State released a report that said Malaysia made little progress in fighting human trafficking in 2017.

An announcement of Malaysia’s Home Ministry said proposals are being discussed, focusing on protecting victims by giving them more freedom of movement and work, and on imposing stricter punishment on traffickers.

The ministry also affirmed the resolve to make utmost efforts to eradicate the evil.

In its report released on 28 June, the US Department of State said victim protection efforts by the Malaysian Government remained largely inadequate and complicity among law enforcement officials hampered some anti-trafficking efforts.

Malaysia has long been known as a destination for trafficking victims, including workers with or without legal documents. The country has nearly 2 million documented migrant workers, but there are also millions of others working illegally.

(Source: VNA)