GOM UPDATES ON ANTI-TRAFFICKING LAW, REQUESTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 001568

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR EAP/MTS AND G/TIP
JUSTICE FOR ICITAP AND OPDAT
JAKARTA FOR ICITAP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KCRM MY
SUBJECT: GOM UPDATES ON ANTI-TRAFFICKING LAW, REQUESTS
TRAINING

REF: KUALA LUMPUR 1557 - EAST MALAYSIA POLICE ON TIP

Summary
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1. (SBU) A senior official in Malaysia's Internal Security
Ministry told us October 22 that the Anti-Trafficking Council
created by the new anti-trafficking in persons law would meet
formally by mid-November. Enforcement of the law would begin
in early 2008, as Malaysian authorities needed time to inform
and train law enforcement officials, and to think through the
ramifications of the statute's broad definition of a
trafficking victim and plan accordingly. The government
shelters also would open in early 2008. The Ministry
welcomed and encouraged U.S. anti-trafficking law enforcement
training for police, prosecutors and judges. Separately, the
GOM's key legal training institute contacted the Embassy on
October 25 and requested U.S. anti-trafficking training.
Action request: Please advise on possible USG resources that
can be made available in the short term for law enforcement
training in support of Malaysia's initial implementation of
the comprehensive anti-trafficking law. End Summary.

Activating the Anti-TIP Council
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2. (SBU) Polchief called on the Ministry of Internal
Security's Deputy Secretary General, Ahmad Fuad bin Abdul
Aziz, on October 22 and discussed the status of Malaysia's
new anti-TIP law. The Ministry has coordinating
responsibility for anti-trafficking under the new law, with
duties initially falling on Ahmad's office. Ahmad and his
staff Azrul Izham bin Hamzah told us that the GOM is focused
now on Part II of the law, which covers the "Council for
Anti-Trafficking in Persons," and on articles 66 and 67
related to implementing regulations. The Council would hold
its first formal meeting by mid-November, and the first order
of business would be selection of Council's non-governmental
members (up to three). The Ministry intended to stand up a
Secretariat to support the Council.

SIPDIS

Enforcement in Early 2008
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3. (SBU) Ahmad explained that enforcement of the law would
begin in early 2008. The GOM would open its two victims
shelters at roughly the same time. The GOM needed time,
Ahmad explained, to conduct training and prepare resources
before moving to implementation of the full law and
enforcement activities. Malaysian law enforcement officials,
including police, prosecutors and judges were as a rule
unfamiliar with TIP, and required training. Equally
important, the law includes a broad definition of a
trafficking victim and the GOM needed to think through the
ramifications and prepare for the possible application to
many victims. For example, Malaysia had prepared only
limited government shelter space, which might be overwhelmed
depending on how the Malaysian officials interpreted and
applied the law. Polchief noted the importance of victim
identification training. Polchief also offered that many
countries, including the U.S., partnered with civil society
and religious groups to provide protection and services to
victims. We emphasized to Azrul that the U.S. would focus
closely on Malaysia's steps to implement the TIP law as we
prepared the 2008 TIP report.

Ministry Requests U.S. Training
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4. (SBU) Ahmad told polchief that Malaysia would welcome and
value training and expert exchanges to support Malaysian law
enforcement officials' ability to implement the new law.
Such training would be important for police and prosecutors,
as well as judges. Ahmad offered to coordinate future
training through his office. Polchief said he would convey
this request to Washington.

Key Training Institute Also Reaches Out
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5. (SBU) Separately, the Director General of the Judicial
and Legal Training Institute (JLTI),Khadijah Mahmud, advised
us on October 25 that JLTI is planning their training
calendar for 2008 and would like the Embassy to help
facilitate training for prosecutors and judges on TIP related
issues. JLTI is a division of the Prime Minister's

KUALA LUMP 00001568 002 OF 002


Department and is the central training institute for all
federal judges, magistrates and prosecutors. Khadijah
expressed particular interest in training for investigations
and prosecutions. We originally discussed training
cooperation with JLTI in July 2007, and at that time the
Director General seemed willing to explore these
opportunities.

Comment and Action Request
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6. (SBU) The Malaysian government has opened the door widely
for possible TIP training assistance for law enforcement and
legal officials. State-level police officials also welcome
U.S. training (reftel). Supporting Malaysia's initial
implementation of its comprehensive anti-trafficking law is
clearly in the U.S. interest for combating trafficking here.
Embassy is currently coordinating with ICITAP/Jakarta on
limited training for Malaysian police in connection with
Indonesian law enforcement efforts. We also are seeking to
bring out a TIP legal expert under our Public Affairs speaker
program. Embassy requests Department identify possible
State, Department of Justice or other USG resources that can
be made available in the short term for training in support
of Malaysia's implementation of the comprehensive
anti-trafficking law.

KEITH