Victims Of Trafficking Allowed To Take Up Employment In Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 (Bernama) -- Victims of trafficking for labour exploitation cases in shelter homes are now allowed to take up employment in Malaysia once they are released, said Minister of Home Affairs Hishammuddin Hussein on Friday. He said, nevertheless, certain conditions are to be imposed on them such as prior consent of the victims’ approval from their diplomatic missions, confirmation that their safety are not guaranteed if they return to their country of origin and they have entered the country legally. "This major policy decision strongly reflects Malaysia’s commitment and continuous progress towards the betterment of victims’ protection in the country," he said in a statement in conjunction with the Bali Process Workshop On Protection For Victims of Trafficking In Persons which ends here. According to the current procedure, once released from shelter homes, the victims would be returned to their country of origin. Hishammuddin said in the meantime, Malaysia would study the possibility for victims’ of trafficking to be allowed to work while under the Protection Order. At present, victims of trafficking are doing temporary jobs in the shelter homes. He said Malaysia is giving strong emphasis to victims’ protection and rehabilitation since it is one of the crucial elements in the global effort to combat trafficking in persons and would lend credence in ensuring high percentage of prosecution for trafficking in persons cases. On the workshop, Hishammuddin said it reflected Malaysia’s serious concern on the aspect of victims’ protection particularly to emulate international best practices concerning this matter. "Additionally, it is in line with one of the five guiding principles espoused in the National Action Plan Against Trafficking in Persons (2010-2015) that is to accord basic human rights treatment to all victims of trafficking regardless of gender, age and religion," he said. Malaysia hosted the two-day workshop jointly organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the International Organisation of Migration (IOM). The workshop was attended by 100 participants from 32 Bali Process member countries. The workshop focused on the aspect of victims of trafficking particularly on the elements of protection, care and recovery. Bali Process is a regional grouping established in 2002 to deal with issues of irregular movement of people and other related areas of transnational crime including trafficking in persons. Australia and Indonesia is the permanent co-chairs of Bali Proces which comprises of 44 member countries including international organisations namely International Organization for Migration (IOM) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). -- BERNAMA Malaysia