BABY TRAFFICKERS CHARGED UNDER MALAYSIA'S ANTI-TIP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 001024 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTIP KCRM KWMN PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG MY SUBJECT: BABY TRAFFICKERS CHARGED UNDER MALAYSIA'S ANTI-TIP ACT ¶1. (SBU) Summary: In recent weeks, Malaysian police have investigated what has been described as a "baby-factory" in Selangor. The police arrested 22 people in connection with this large-scale, family-run, baby-trafficking syndicate and rescued 10 young children. The syndicate allegedly paid foreign women to have babies and put them up for sale. On December 16, a Malaysian woman and her two adult daughters were charged under the Anti-TIP Act for selling three baby girls. The illicit operation is believed to have been running for at least five years. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Between December 4 and 22, Malaysian police conducted numerous raids at various locations in Selangor state in an effort to shut down a "baby factory" operating in the Klang Valley. Police received a tip-off about the syndicate on December 4. Twenty-two people were arrested, including two couples who were attempting to purchase babies. The police rescued nine babies between the ages of two weeks and nine months old as well as a three-year-old toddler. Also rescued were two undocumented Indonesian women who were several months pregnant. The children were given medical exams and sent to the care of the Welfare Department. -------------- Modus Operandi -------------- ¶3. (SBU) At a press conference on December 14, Federal Police Criminal Investigation Department Director Bakri Zinin explained that the syndicate "hired" women from Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines and paid local men, especially indigenous people (orang asli),to have sexual relations and produce babies. When the babies were born, they were typically sold to childless couples. The babies sold for between 15,000 RM ($4,300 USD) and 20,000 RM ($5,700 USD) depending on appearance and health. The foreign workers hired to be mothers were typically promised 5,000 RM ($1425 USD) per baby, however, after the baby was born, the syndicate would deliver only 2,000 RM ($570 USD) claiming that the child was "not beautiful enough" or otherwise was not up to the buyer's standard. ¶4. (SBU) Police further reported that the syndicate also provided would-be buyers with documentation. The raids revealed birth registration documents that listed the purchasing couple as the child's biological parents. Bakri said that the police had not ruled out the possibility that National Registration Department employees were involved. ¶5. (SBU) Police further stated that they are currently looking for a doctor who runs a clinic in Klang. The doctor allegedly delivered the babies and is believed to be the person who manipulated the birth certificates to show the adults purchasing the babies as the birth parents. The doctor went into hiding in early December when the raids were initiated. -------------- -------------- Suspects Charged under Malaysian Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act -------------- -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Of the 22 suspects arrested, three women ) Lim Kim Wan, 56, and her two daughters, Ang Bee Ling, 36, and Ang Bee Churn, 31, were charged on December 16, for selling three baby girls. The babies were born to two Indonesian women and a Filipino woman. The syndicate has been described as a family-run business led by Lim. The illicit operation is believed to have been running for at least five years. Lim and her daughters were charged under Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2007 for the offense of "trafficking in children." If convicted, they face up to 20 years imprisonment. They pled not guilty and were released on 15,000 RM ($4,300 USD) bail. The case will commence on January 22, 2010. -------------- A Sign of Things to Come? -------------- ¶7. (SBU) On December 23, PolOff met with Azrul Izham Bin Hamzah, Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, who specializes in TIP policy. In addition to discussing the GOM's new TIP public awareness campaign, Azrul addressed the issue of baby-trafficking. He expressed disdain for anyone who could participate in such activities but noted that this was another example of organized crime preying on the most vulnerable in society. He reiterated his government's commitment to fight human trafficking, and its specific desire to shut down these types of operations. ¶8. (SBU) On December 28, Aegile Fernandez of Tenaganita explained to Political Associate that she thought the KUALA LUMP 00001024 002 OF 002 baby-factory problem was larger than initially imagined. She has been working with Dr. Hartini Zainudin, who runs the Ruman Nur Salam Center for Homeless Children in Kuala Lumpur's Chow Kit area, on this issue. Fernandez explained that she and Zianudin are aware of a larger baby-trafficking syndicate and are collecting evidence and collaborating with police. She noted that Zianudin is encouraging police to find the true biological parents of the rescued children to determine the circumstances of their separation and whether being reunited is an option. ¶9. (SBU) On December 28, Deputy Superintendent of Police Noorani Saad told Political Associate that the D-11 sexual rape/abuse unit was handling the investigation. Noorani explained that an Indonesian woman contacted police and informed them that she was already pregnant when she came to Malaysia and entered into an agreement with the syndicate for a set amount of money. However, when the child was born, she was paid less money than she had been promised. Moreover, the child was given to a couple who were not Muslim. These factors, combined with a general change of heart, led the woman to report the incident to the police. KEITH