Combating human trafficking

PADANG BESAR: A total of 186 people were charged with human trafficking in the last two years. During the same period, 231 victims of human trafficking, including 154 women and 17 children, had been rescued, said Home Ministry deputy secretary-general Datuk Abdul Rahim Mohd Radzi.

Abdul Rahim said there was an increase momentum to combat human trafficking by the authorities in the country.

"It is a global issue that must be overcome.

"Most women victims ended up being prostitutes after they were promised of lucrative job offers in Malaysia and most of them are from China, Myanmar and Indonesia."

He said the ministry was going all out to improve the standing of Malaysia in the United States' recent rating on human trafficking.

"We stand in the third tier which is not good at all.

"Government agencies have been told to work closely to curtail human trafficking." - NST