UPDATE ON GOM ANTI-TIP EFFORTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 000609 SIPDIS FOR EAP/MTS AND G/TIP E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2019 TAGS: KTIP KCRM KWMN MY PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG SUBJECT: UPDATE ON GOM ANTI-TIP EFFORTS REF: A. KL 600 FIRST ARRESTS OF IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS ¶B. KL 596 INREASED GOM RESPONSIVENESS ON TIP Classified By: ADCM Rob Kuntz for reasons 1.4 b and d. Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU ) A July 23 meeting of Attorney General,s Chambers officials, local NGO representatives and Emboffs provided further insights into GOM efforts to combat trafficking in persons. Police have remanded 10 immigration personnel for questioning, and expect to charge the most senior official involved on July 26. The AGC has requested the assistance of U.S. law enforcement agencies in regard to traffickers involved in this case who are resident in southern Thailand. In the meantime the government hopes to open a new facility within one month to house male victims of TIP. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Legatt and acting Polcouns attended a July 23 meeting at the AGC chaired by Head Prosecutor Tun Majid. In addition to other AGC officials, Tenaganita TIP coordinator Aegile Fernandes and Farida Khalid of the National Council of Women,s Organizations were present. This was a follow-up to the July 15 meeting reported ref B. ¶3. (C) Tun Majid said a total of 10 immigration personnel had been remanded for questioning, some of whom were cooperating with the police investigation (Ref A). The investigation had determined that traffickers in Sungai Golok across the border in Thailand had paid RM10,400 (approximately USD 3000) to the senior most official of the group, who had in turn distributed payoffs to the other Immigration personnel. Tun said the senior official was the primary target of the investigation and would be charged on July 26. Police had the names of two of the key trafficking syndicate members in Thailand, and requested Legatt assistance in coordinating with Thai law enforcement officials regarding this case. (Comment. The NGO representatives raised a number of other cases in which they suspected that immigration officials were working hand-in-hand with traffickers or releasing detained migrants in exchange for payments. Tun Majid and the other AGC officials did not contest this. End Comment) ¶4. (SBU) The NGO representatives stressed that addressing TIP victims were reluctant to provide testimony in these cases due to their fears not only of retribution from the trafficking syndicates but also from concerns that they would be arrested and detained by Malaysian authorities. It was essential that TIP victims receive sufficient counseling and in this regard more translators were needed. Tun reported that the GOM was making progress on the shelter issue, with plans to open a facility within one month near KL International Airport to house up to 350 men. More shelters would still be needed, and Tun reiterated his request that the NGOs open mens, shelters, promising that government reimbursement would be forthcoming. The NGO representatives continued to express reservations regarding the seeming reluctance of the Womens, Ministry to have its protection officers working in NGO facilities. Tun expressed confidence that these obstacles could be overcome. KEITH