KUCHING, June 19 — Malaysia’s listing on the Tier 2 Watch List of the US State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report 2023 has a positive impact on the country’s trade sector and counters negative perceptions related to the issue of forced labour in the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said it reflected the cooperation and efforts of all parties in ensuring that Malaysia implements good practices to tackle issues of human trafficking, migrant smuggling, forced labour as well as the implementation of enforcement.

"Also in foreign countries, farming activities are part of the family business, so when they go down (to the farm) sometimes the children are brought along so it is quite common... as long as we don’t abuse and force small children (to work). These are the things that we need to explain to them,” he told reporters after attending the dialogue session on energy use in Agricommodity here, today.

The minister of plantation and commodities said to ensure that allegations regarding labour issues are resolved bilaterally, Malaysia is establishing cooperation and engagement sessions, especially with the United States.

According to him in 2021 and 2022, Malaysia was in the Tier 3 Watch List with the assessment of the report covering aspects of prevention, prosecution and protection of workers in relation to labour matters.

On June 16, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, when announcing the TIP report, said the government would increase efforts in prosecuting and convicting civil servants found involved in human trafficking or forced labour activities.

He said that the matter was a priority for the government as it was part of the 15 recommended improvements submitted in the TIP report. — BERNAMA