PUTRAJAYA, Oct 14 — Malaysia has expressed interest to join Alliance 8.7 as a Pathfinder country in a joint effort to address the issues of forced labour activities, modern slavery and human trafficking.

The Human Resources Ministry (MOHR) in a statement today said the Cabinet had, on November 19 last year, agreed that Malaysia should join the Alliance 8.7 as a Pathfinder country under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

"Malaysia has already submitted a letter to the secretariat of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on March 31, 2022, regarding the country’s intention to become a Pathfinder country,” it said.

Alliance 8.7 is an inclusive global partnership committed to achieving Target 8.7 of the SDGs through recognition as a Pathfinder country.

Target 8.7 aims to ensure that all countries take immediate action and steps to eliminate forced labour, child labour, modern slavery and human trafficking.

MOHR said Malaysia’s participation in the Alliance will prove its commitment and determination to achieving Target 8.7 and will make Malaysia the second among Asean member countries to do so after Vietnam.

The decision to become a Pathfinder country is also in line with the objectives of the National Action Plan on Forced Labour (NAPFL) (2021-2025) and the National Action Plan on Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) (2021-2025).

"Malaysia’s participation in Alliance 8.7 will also have a positive impact on Malaysia’s position in the Annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report) as well as other human rights platforms,” it said.

The ministry said Malaysia will cooperate with the UN and ILO by organising awareness and capacity-building programmes, as well as sharing good practices of other Pathfinder countries.

Therefore, the ministry also called on public and private organisations, workers and employers unions, civil society organisations, academic institutions and other stakeholders to be partners of the Alliance 8.7 in Malaysia.

Application for partnership can be made at the MOHR’s official website at https://www.mohr.gov.my/index.php/ms/ by or before October 20.

"Organisations that pledged their intention to be partners of the Alliance 8.7 in Malaysia will be directly involved in the planning and implementation of the Alliance 8.7 Roadmap based on the main thrusts of NAPFL and NAPTIP,” the MOHR said.

A strategic planning workshop to develop the Alliance 8.7 Roadmap is expected to be held next month, it added. — Bernama