Rights group urges Anwar to act, 28 Malaysians trapped in Myanmar human trafficking crisis
PUTRAJAYA: A rights group has urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to fully leverage Malaysia's Asean chairmanship to address the ongoing human trafficking crisis involving Malaysians across the region.
The Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation (MH0) secretary-general Datuk Hishamuddin Hashim said many Malaysians remain detained and confined as a result of deception and manipulation by criminal trafficking networks.
"MHO has received numerous alarming reports of Malaysians being lured by fraudulent job offers and subsequently trafficked to countries such as Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, where they face inhumane treatment, exploitation, and illegal detention.
"Therefore, we believe that Malaysia's leadership as chair of Asean this year presents a timely and strategic opportunity to comprehensively and effectively elevate the human trafficking issue to the regional agenda," he told reporters at Wisma Putra here.
He shared details of 28 victims who are currently held in Myanmar.
Asean leaders, meeting in Kuala Lumpur earlier this week, pledged to intensify regional cooperation against transnational crimes — particularly online scams and human trafficking — through the Asean Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC).
Thousands of people have been lured by social media posts advertising high-paying jobs in countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, only to find themselves trapped in cyber scam operations—some held against their will and forced to defraud others online.
Hishamuddin said Malaysia's leadership in Asean gives it a key role to lead unified policies and cooperation between countries to tackle the rising problem of transnational crimes, like human trafficking.
"Our nation's pivotal role in Asean leadership positions us to spearhead the development of unified policies, enhance cross-border collaboration, and coordinate collective action against this escalating transnational crime," he said after handing over an appeal letter to Anwar via the Foreign Ministry.
Hishamuddin also proposed the establishment of a special ASEAN task force to tackle the growing issue of human trafficking in the region.
MHO also urged all affected countries to demonstrate full commitment by taking swift and decisive action to dismantle all known scam centres operating within their jurisdictions, he said.
"These illicit operations must not be permitted to continue threatening the safety and welfare of Asean citizens," Hishamuddin said.
Last November, Malaysia announced it would make human trafficking a key priority during its Asean chairmanship in 2025.
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