18th June 2007
Yang di Pertua,
Dewan Rakyat,
Parlimen,
Malaysia
YB Tan Sri,
S.O. 18 motion of urgent, definite public importance: Inclusion of Malaysia in the United States Government’s 2007 “Tier 3” list of the worst human trafficking offenders together with nations such as Burma, Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Sudan and Saudi Arabia
_____________________________________________________________________
This is to give notice under S.O. 18(2) to move a motion of urgent definite public importance for the Dewan Rakyat sitting on Wednesday, 20th June 2007, as follows:
“That under Standing Order 18(1), the House gives leave to Ketua Pembangkang YB Lim Kit Siang to move a motion of urgent, definite public importance, viz the inclusion of Malaysia in the United States Government’s 2007 Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report in the Tier 3 list of the worst human trafficking offenders together with 15 other nations including Burma, Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Sudan and Saudi Arabia.
“The inclusion of Malaysia in the Tier 3 list of the worst human trafficking offenders is a matter of grave shame and dishonour to the nation, which had recently the signal honour of being Chair of three international organizations simultaneously, i.e. ASEAN, Non-Aligned Movement and Organisation of Islamic Conference and is seriously proposing a candidate to be the next Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.
“The reasons cited for Malaysia’s inclusion in the US Government list of the worst human trafficking offenders are:
- The government of Malaysia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so.
- Failure to show satisfactory progress in combating trafficking in persons, particularly in areas of punishing acts of trafficking, providing adequate shelters and social services to victims, protecting migrant workers from involuntary servitude and for not prosecuting traffickers who were arrested and detained under preventive laws.
- The government needs to demonstrate stronger political will to tackle Malaysia’s ‘significant’ forced labour and sex trafficking problems.
“The Foreign Minister has lambasted as ‘ill-informed’ Malaysia’s inclusion in the US trafficking blacklist while the Prime Minister has promised severe punishment for human traffickers.
“An urgent Parliamentary debate on Malaysia’s inclusion in Tier 3 of the US List will be one way to demonstrate national seriousness with human trafficking problems as well as to redeem Malaysia’s honour, image and credibility in international society.”
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
(Lim Kit Siang)
Opposition Leader, Parliament
#1 by Ghost on Monday, 18 June 2007 - 1:49 pm
Life informs Life through Life itself. What Life is telling us now? Are we listening to Life?
#2 by Bigjoe on Monday, 18 June 2007 - 1:52 pm
I put it to you sir that the UMNO-led gov recognizes few moral shame anymore. They only recognize 3 things – power, money and pride.
Trafficking in other human? Hell, one wonder if they care their own were trafficked anymore.
The unspoken truth is that the NEP morally in the same column as slavery and the lack of indignation and urgency of the injustices, points to the moral corruption of the soul of our society
#3 by good coolie on Monday, 18 June 2007 - 2:17 pm
Could the reason for Malaysia’s dismal position with respect to human trafficking be the same reason as the one for most of our other problems – CORRUPTION?
#4 by k1980 on Monday, 18 June 2007 - 2:28 pm
If we wait for the Prime Minister’s promise of severe punishment for human traffickers, we will end up in Tier 10 in the list of the worst human trafficking offenders in 2008. We all know of his promises…mere hot air
#5 by kurakura on Monday, 18 June 2007 - 3:48 pm
im not surprised at all.
do the leaders care?No lah…lepak lah…
#6 by FuturePolitician on Monday, 18 June 2007 - 4:01 pm
human trafficking become a problem when the government doesnt vet through visitors coming throught immigration point. This is part of the government fault not being thorough with their checks at this points.
If the immigration procedures and computerized it is easy for them to check on the number of overstayed visitors and appropriately pay a visit to them. This work requires authorization of which NO ONE is bother to instruct or TAKE-CHARGE!.
Obviously with such lame officials, anyone could easily bring supplies from around the world without much hassle from the immigration officers. Sometimes directive from the tourism board to ease on the checks on visitors, the immigration officers now has an excuse if things goes wrong, but take this opportunity to ease their job(no need to work so hard).
The world sees upon this that our country has ample foreign prostitutes, beggin monks from oversea(probably forced into working for someone), construction workers without valid permit( forced labour), foreigners without work permits (eventhough they are working with the intention of making a living for themselves), we pay them because they are cheaper labour, hence we do not have to pay for their future welfare..primitive wage earners and we are taking advantage of this., and a lots more example.
The perception by our peers now being diminished because the lack of disciplinary attitude towards their job by the government sector. There is no need for accountability when things go wrong. The attitude you must protect me because we are the same.. it isnt my job..No one instruct me.. who cares, it is not my problem…etc etc etc.. are infused into their brains. Without punishment, no one will be threaten if they do not perform their duty to the RAKYAT.
Yes, our country indeed a H.Traffic offender as per the above headline.. and ONLY the government starts to realize that trying to save someones sorry S will eventually bring down the whole organization. The collapse eventually would be via change of government ( If we have an alternative government).
This perception will not change so soon… well, we still goes on with our life, nothing change.. time to “mind my own business”
#7 by Cinapek on Monday, 18 June 2007 - 4:02 pm
Somehow the allegations of our misdeeds made by foreign countries has the nasty habit of turning out to be true eventually despite our ministers denying until they are blue in the face. Remember when Lee Kuan Yew said JB was crime ridden years ago? Many Malaysian leaders condemned him for making wild accusations. It turns he was right after all. Either he knew more than our leaders or our leaders are in a permanent state of denial.
Anyway, YB can for the record bring it up in Parliament but it will be another exercise in futility if this BN Govt. runs true to form.
#8 by Jefus on Monday, 18 June 2007 - 4:18 pm
The government is in a state of denial. Their only sorry defense.
#9 by Libra2 on Monday, 18 June 2007 - 4:57 pm
The government will deny, deny and deny. This government can never do wrong. Isn’t Malaysia the best governed country in the world?
The West is jealous of our progress.
We have the best civil service, the best police force, the best education system, the best universities, the best economy management personnel, very manageable corruption problem, the best taxi drivers, the best judicial system, the best religious/racial harmony, and the best Ministers, the best Prime Minister and THE BEST SON IN LAW.
Now tell me where is our fault?
#10 by undergrad2 on Monday, 18 June 2007 - 5:28 pm
First, we need to lift the burden on the MPs as they try to debate the meaning of ‘human ‘trafficking’ because I heard one asking if it has anything to do with the traffic policeman.
#11 by ahkok1982 on Monday, 18 June 2007 - 9:08 pm
we are talking about the problem of human trafficking to a bunch of people who will sell their mother for profit. so we can guess what is the result of this discussion.
#12 by hasilox on Monday, 18 June 2007 - 10:27 pm
This is another prove that the authority is few steps behind criminals. ok ok sorry, I lied. Many many steps behind.
#13 by undergrad2 on Monday, 18 June 2007 - 10:30 pm
Profit?? Don’t realize there were costs involved.
There are people who will sell their daughters, yes. I don’t know about mothers. They are a bit old. Don’t you think? Mine is almost 90 years old.
#14 by negarawan on Tuesday, 19 June 2007 - 8:24 am
Malaysia has also invented another form of human trafficking: pardoning Indonesian illegal immigrants (Muslims), giving them Malaysian IC, then Bumiputra status, hence making them more priveleged than native non-Bumiputras. No wonder Malaysia is in Tier 3! There is no need for UMNO and BN to deny that, just like they deny everything else. Malaysia Bodoh!
#15 by k1980 on Tuesday, 19 June 2007 - 9:16 am
Malaysian University exam question (No wonder we have 80,000 unemployable grads)
Where will you find the world’s BESTEST prime minister, universities, hospitals, police force, judiciary system, road system,Nobel laureates, global corporations, poets and artists ect?
A Malaysia
B Somalia
C Antartica
D North Pole
#16 by moong cha cha II on Tuesday, 19 June 2007 - 10:09 am
the good point is we are consistent.
consistently making poor grades in national / international news.
a) Azlina
b) Bocor
c) Close One Eye
d) NEP
e) Proton
f) A Permit
g) Emperor Zakaria of Klang
h) Perwaja
i) MAS
j) Royal Commission on police
k) Broken Promises
l) Keris raising
m) Ketuanan Melayu, the rest Pendatang
n) Major Murthy (Mount Everest)
o) 80K jobless graduates
p) Bakun Dam
q) By-elections RM millions
r) Wastage (example : parachuting Proton car on the North pole, wanting to do a teh-tarik in space on a RM100 million ringgit space ticket)
s) Poor or No planing (example bought a RM100.0 million ringgit space ticket, 1 or 2 years later only think what to do in space)
t) ……
#17 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 19 June 2007 - 10:26 am
Not much will come from a parliamentary debate.
If rampant human traffiking over the years has not by now stunned even the softest of hearts amongst BN MPs, would the fear of susceptibility to US sanctions for being classified in tier 3, worry them?
US sanctions may affect some of us but will they necessarily affect cronies’ deals and spin offs from government largesse and contracts of which BN’s politicians and cronies are beneficiaries?
In the first place our government takes pride in being an example and leader of the Muslim World, which in various flashpoints of the Middle East, Muslims are either engaged in direct conflict with or embroiled in their own internecine conflicts as a result of perceived geopolitical transgressions and interference of the US & its allies.
That being the case – when we have pretensions to judge and criticise the US on its moral behaviour – how could our government, in the reverse, openly and officially submit to the US’s judgment and classification of us of being third tier in human trafficking – that would be heresy – especially when the US itself is not above hypocrisy in that: –
· The US defence department had also hired trafficked workers in Iraq;
· although the report also declared the United States to be a “transit and destination country for trafficking”, the US has excluded herself from the classification;
· US multinationals come here for the cheap labour and they and their affiliates have benefited directly or directly from the “bonded labour†of migrant workers here ?
There is strong co-relation between Human trafficking on one hand and low status of women, as well as the weakness or corruption of law enforcement officials and poverty on the other.
BN’s ‘Patriots’ will say who is the US to foist upon us its values (which it does not even adhere to its own values in practice) or to try to change our patriarchal or corrupt culture, which is, if that were a problem, only ours to solve as a sovereign nation?
#18 by fm2 on Tuesday, 19 June 2007 - 10:55 am
we keep on complaining n critique here, can we really unite and do something about this? dun just keep complain complain n still let the stupid gov doing useless thing, no point we only complain and angry, while they all still very happy out there. time to do something, now already come a stage that a girl lock themselve in house also scare of being raped.
come on, can we do something about this?
#19 by undergrad2 on Tuesday, 19 June 2007 - 10:48 pm
“BN’s ‘Patriots’ will say who is the US to foist upon us its values (which it does not even adhere to its own values in practice) or to try to change our patriarchal or corrupt culture, which is, if that were a problem, only ours to solve as a sovereign nation?” Jeffrey
Americans say worse things about their government and their President. That does not make any less patriotic.
Human trafficking is a serious problem affecting countries across whose borders human beings are being trafficked. Governments should take a united stand and make a united effort to help fight human trafficking. It is after all modern day slavery.
Malaysian government and Malaysians can criticize the U.S. Government and the U.S. President and it will never be seen as interference in the domestic affairs of another sovereign state. Why is that different when the U.S. files its report on human trafficking and categorize countries into different tiers and place Malaysia in the 3rd tier?