Examining Human Trafficking Issue In Malaysia's Post-Pandemic Era: Preventive Measure and Challenges
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Abstract
Abstract: Human trafficking is a serious issue that has received international attention since the 1990s and has affected security and human rights, including Malaysia. In Malaysia, this crime is increasing despite various eradication efforts carried out by the Malaysian Government in terms of policy, legislation, enforcement, care and protection, media and publicity and awareness. The Report on Human Trafficking issued by the United States (TIP) 2021 states that Malaysia has been downgraded to Level 3, which is an unsatisfactory level. Therefore, this study aims to examine the issue of human trafficking in Malaysia during the post pandemic era by focusing its analysis on challenges and preventive measures that the government can take to fill the gaps in the enforcement of government policies and legislation. This research was conducted using qualitative methods using primary sources obtained from in-depth interviews, direct observation through field studies in selected areas as well as document analysis from authoritative sources such as official government documents and reports. The findings of the study conclude that there are two main challenges facing Malaysia in dealing with the issue of human trafficking, First, the enforcement aspect, mainly the coordination between the various responsible government agencies. Second, the delay in prosecution is an obstacle to the resolution of this issue from a legal perspective. Thus, this study found that it is very timely for the government to implement more proactive, effective measures continuous efforts to solve the crime of human trafficking in Malaysia.
Keywords: human trafficking, securitization of trafficking in Malaysia, durable solution, human security threats in Malaysia,
DOI: 10.17576/sinergi.SI1.2023.02
Article information: Submission date: 6 April 2021; Acceptance date: 13 November 2022; Publication date: 31 Mac 2023.
Declaration and acknowledgement: This study was a product of the 2020 Fundamental Research Grant Scheme/FRGS (FRGS/1/2020/SS0/UPSI/02/23) awarded by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) to the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI). Multiple researchers from various Malaysian universities were involved in this project, including Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Additionally, several years of fieldwork involving various government and non-governmental stakeholders and the project is supported through various initiatives and activities with the Centre for Human Rights Research and Advocacy (CENTHRA), Putrajaya. We want to take this opportunity to express our most profound appreciation to Malaysia’s MOHE, awarded institution of UPSI, CENTHRA and others who are not mentioned but valuable for their continuous support and generosity and the appreciated advice from CENTHRA’s Founder, Mr Azril Mohd Amin. We would also like to show our gratitude to SINERGI’s anonymous reviewers and their constructive feedback in improving the quality of the manuscript.
Abstrak: Pemerdagangan orang adalah isu yang serius yang telah mendapat perhatian antarabangsa sejak 1990-an dan telah menjejaskan keselamatan dan hak manusia, termasuk Malaysia. Di Malaysia, jenayah ini semakin meningkat walaupun pelbagai usaha pembasmian dilakukan oleh Kerajaan Malaysia dari segi dasar, perundangan, penguatkuasaan, jagaan dan perlindungan, media dan publisiti serta kesedaran. Laporan mengenai Pemerdagangan orang yang dikeluarkan oleh Amerika Syarikat (TIP) 2021 menyatakan bahawa Malaysia telah diturunkan taraf kepada Tahap 3, iaitu tahap yang tidak memuaskan. Oleh itu, kajian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki isi pemerdagangan orang di Malaysia pada era pasca pandemik dengan memfokuskan analisisnya kepada cabaran dan langkah pencegahan yang perlu diambil kerajaan dalam mengisi kelompangan pada penguatkuasaan dasar dan perundangan kerajaan. Penyelidikan ini dijalankan menggunakan kaedah kualitatif dengan menggunakan sumber primer yang diperoleh daripada temu bual mendalam, pemerhatian secara langsung melalui kajian lapangan di kawasan terpilih serta analisis dokumen dari sumber autoritatif seperti dokumen dan laporan rasmi kerajaan. Dapatan kajian merumuskan bahawa terdapat dua cabaran utama yang dihadapi Malaysia dalam menangani isu pemerdagangan orang., Pertama, aspek penguatkuasaan terutamanya penyelarasan antara pelbagai agensi kerajaan yang bertanggungjawab. Kedua, kelewatan pendakwaan menjadi halangan kepada penyelesaian isu ini dari aspek perundangan. Justeru, kajian ini mendapati amat tepat pada masanya kerajaan melaksanakan langkah pencegahan yang lebih proaktif, efektif dan usaha yang berterusan bagi menyelesaikan jenayah pemerdagangan orang di Malaysia.
Kata kunci: pemerdagangan manusia, sekuritisasi pemerdagangan di Malaysia, penyelsaian bertahan, ancaman keselamatan insan di Malaysia
DOI: 10.17576/sinergi.SI1.2023.02
Maklumat artikel: Tarikh Penghantaran: 6 April 2021; Tarikh penerimaan: 13 November 2022; Tarikh penerbitan: 31 Mac 2023.
Penghargaan dan pengisytiharan: Kajian ini merupakan produk Skim Geran Penyelidikan Fundamental 2020/FRGS (FRGS/1/2020/SS0/UPSI/02/23) yang dianugerahkan oleh Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi (KPT) kepada Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI). Pelbagai penyelidik dari pelbagai universiti Malaysia terlibat dalam projek ini, termasuk Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Selain itu, beberapa tahun kerja lapangan yang melibatkan pelbagai pihak berkepentingan kerajaan dan bukan kerajaan dan projek itu disokong melalui pelbagai inisiatif dan aktiviti bersama Pusat Penyelidikan dan Advokasi Hak Asasi Manusia (CENTHRA), Putrajaya. Kami ingin mengambil kesempatan ini untuk merakamkan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan kepada KPT Malaysia, institusi UPSI yang dianugerahkan, CENTHRA dan lain-lain yang tidak disebut tetapi berharga atas sokongan dan kemurahan hati mereka yang berterusan dan nasihat yang dihargai daripada Pengasas CENTHRA, En Azril Mohd Amin. Kami juga ingin menunjukkan rasa terima kasih kami kepada penyemak tanpa nama SINERGI dan maklum balas membina mereka dalam meningkatkan kualiti manuskrip.
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