Two blogs run by Burmese refugees residing in Malaysia have alleged that immigration officials are still benefitting handsomely from human trafficking activities.

Elaborating on this, Zam Tuang and Kam Khua Tuan subsequently told Malaysiakini that they themselves were sold to an agent in Penang last December.

azlan Speaking through interpreters, Zam disclosed that he had entered Malaysia last March to work in a restaurant in Penang. In November, immigration officials arrested him because he did not have valid documents.

                    

Zam was convicted and sentenced to two months in the Pokok Sena prison in Kedah. After more than a month, he was transferred to the Belantik immigration detention camp in the same state - but not for long.

“When we arrived at Belantik, the authorities selected 10 of us and we were separated from other detainees. Ten minutes later, two immigration officers came to the camp in a van. They told us to board the van, saying that they had sent us to the wrong camp,” he said.

The van headed to the house of an individual, said to be an agent, who handed over an unidentified sum of cash to the immigration officers in exchange for the refugees.

Later, aided by relatives and members of the local Burmese community, the 10 refugees each paid the agent RM2,600 to secure their freedom.

Zam has since registered himself with the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kuala Lumpur. Refugees holding the UNHCR card are not liable to arrest.

A UNHCR spokesperson  could not verify Zam’s claims when contacted, but the agency’s website estimates that there are currently 25,000 unregistered refugees in Malaysia.

‘Not doing enough’

However, Suaram coordinator Temme Lee said Burmese contacts had notified her about the case.

Asked to comment on developments since Malaysia was blacklisted by the US government for human trafficking last year, Lee said forced deportation and trafficking of refugees have not stopped, although the number of cases has decreased.

“The arrests (of traffickers) are the standard thing to do. It is only for show. A lot more high ranking officers have been involved,” she claimed.

    

malaysia worst refugees place 180609 03 “We are not doing enough. In terms of stopping current violations, the government is doing well, but it needs to do more to correct past (acts of human trafficking).”

Last June, the US State Department report on human trafficking stated that “Malaysia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so”.

Tenaganita director Aegile Fernandez expressed support for improved enforcement of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act 2007, but noted that other recommendations of the report have not been thoroughly implemented.

aegile fernandez “There have been more prosecutions and convictions of individuals guilty of human trafficking. However, awareness for the public has not happened. There needs to be more open-mindedness (in government agencies) in working with NGOs and civil society groups,” she said.

When contacted, an immigration official declined to comment on any new cases of human trafficking, saying that the police would be better informed.

He could not confirm if any of the immigration officials arrested for trafficking last year have been prosecuted.