Investigative reporting can help publicise Malaysia's anti-trafficking efforts

Undersecretary of the National Strategic Office to the Council for Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (MAPO), Syuhaida Abdul Wahab Zen said the media played an important role in highlighting the plight of trafficked victims and the cruel audacity of the criminals, especially perpetrators of trafficking in persons.

"We know that our enforcement agencies are very skilled and competent in their area of intelligence, working sometimes in joint operations, diligently and commendably in tackling this crime.

"(But) with verified facts and credible information, the relevant authorities will gladly jump at assisting you (media) with your reports," she said when launching a workshop on reporting on trafficking in persons, here, today.

Syuhaida said the government needed the media to educate the public about the perils of trafficking in persons by exposing the sufferings of the victims of the crime.

She said the crime had gained worldwide attention due to globalisation and rapid movement of people such as through migration, which involved violation of human rights in the form of either sexual or labour exploitation or both.

"It gravely affects women and children who are often robbed of their dignity, freedom and basic human rights, while the crime has generated tremendous profit for unscrupulous groups and individuals alike," she said, noting that the crime generated an estimated global profit of around US$38 billion annually.

Syuhaida commended the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) for organising the workshop with the United States embassy and MAPO, which could further assist the government in informing and educating the public on the issue.

"In a sense, this is in compliance with the National Action Plan on Trafficking in Persons (2016-2020), which places emphasis on the importance of civil society participation in particular," she said.