TIP: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH INSPECTOR GENERAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 000618 SIPDIS FOR EAP/MTS AND G/TIP E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2019 TAGS: KTIP KCRM KWMN PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG MY SUBJECT: TIP: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE Classified By: A/DCM Matt Matthews for reasons 1.4 b and d. Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) In a July 28 meeting, the Ambassador congratulated Malaysia's Inspector General of Police Musa on the recent arrests of immigration officers involved in trafficking of persons, and expressed appreciation for ongoing Malaysian-U.S. cooperation on a broad spectrum of law enforcement issues. End Summary. ¶2. (C) The Ambassador, accompanied by Legatt and acting Polcouns, met Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan on July ¶28. Musa was accompanied by Deputy IGP Ismail Omar and Chief of Special Branch Ramli Sha'ari. The Ambassador expressed appreciation for the GOM's close cooperation and exchanges of information across a range of law enforcement issues, including counter-narcotics and organized crime. He thanked the IGP for the prompt response to the security needs of local U.S. business interests in the wake of the recent Jakarta bomb attacks and expressed both satisfaction with and a desire to expand upon U.S.-GOM cooperation on counter-terrorism. ¶3. (C) The Ambassador expressed strong support for vigorous enforcement of Malaysia's trafficking in persons laws, and noted that those syndicates involved in people trafficking could be engaged in other criminal activities such as drug trafficking and arms smuggling that could threaten Malaysia's security. Musa acknowledged the need to share intelligence with Malaysia's neighbors and noted ongoing efforts to coordinate with his counterparts on the Philippines on TIP. The Ambassador urged Musa to share information on this cross border coordination to support U.S. efforts to encourage a regional approach on TIP. Musa noted a recent operation in which maritime police intercepted a boat full of Bangladeshis and Afghans headed for Australia via Indonesia and acknowledged that exploited migrant laborers entering Malaysia were also of concern. The Ambassador underlined the U.S. was primarily concerned with the victims of TIP, and stressed the importance of distinguishing between people smuggling cases and trafficking cases. He noted that the U.S. nevertheless well understood the Australian and Malaysian focus, in addition, on the problem of people smuggling. ¶4. (C) Musa also noted Prime Minister Najib's recent directive that relevant agencies redouble efforts to bring down the overall crime rate in Malaysia. Given shortages in police personnel, there was a proposal to augment the police force with "volunteers." (Note. Presumably a reference to the People's Volunteer Force (RELA). RELA is an officially sanctioned but poorly trained paramilitary group that exists to enforce immigration laws in Malaysia. End Note.) The Ambassador warned of the pitfalls of having such volunteers being given responsibility to substitute for professionals who do police and immigration work. KEITH