PENAMPANG - A month of intensive surveillance finally paid off when the Immigration Department rescued 22 women from the Philippines who were allegedly forced into prostitution by a human trafficking syndicate in Penampang on Tuesday.
The women, aged between 20 and 35, were believed to be held against their will by the syndicate at two semi-detached houses in Penampang, while a “hair salon” was used as the meeting place for them and their potential customers.
State Immigration director Haji Mohammad Mentek said a team of 10 personnel, who were acting on a tip-off from the public, raided the two houses between 1.30pm and 2.30pm on Tuesday, June 19.
He said initial investigation revealed that the victims, who do not have valid travel documents, were lured to Sabah with promise of jobs in restaurants and entertainment outlets.
“We believe they were smuggled into the state capital by sea through Lahad Datu and Sandakan,” he said.
“Once in the hands of the syndicate, the women were threatened, beaten and forced into prostitution,” Mohammad told a press conference at the Immigration Department office here yesterday.
The immigration personnel also confiscated the car, he said, adding that investigation showed some of the women had been in the country for the past five months.
He said the case would be investigated under the Anti Trafficking Act and Anti-Trafficking in Person Act 2007 (amendment 2010).
According to Mohammad, this is the second human trafficking case in the state, with the first involving nine foreigners in Tawau.
Asked whether any local people were involved in the syndicate, Mohammad said the department had so far identified three male suspects.
BLAME IT ON UMNO BN FOR FAILING TO CONTROL OUR BORDERS
ReplyDeletewhy don't you try to control our border if you think it easy to control it?? why don't you blame those local who bring them here??
Deletekegiatan pelacuran ini makin menjadi, semua mereka adalah warga asing tanpa dokumen, tk patut boleh tembus ke negara kita jika kawalan ketat.
ReplyDeletePintu masuk ke Sabah patut dikawal dengan ketat.
DeleteWanita sering jadi sasaran sindiket pemerdagangan manusia.
ReplyDeletekegiatan pemerdagangan orang harus dibanteras, ia mencabul hak asasi manusia, manusia bukan bahan dagangan.
ReplyDeletePihak berkuasa perlu sering laksanakan rondaan dan siasatan di Penampang. Kegiatan perjudian pun makin berleluasa.
ReplyDeleteBetul kah mereka ini hanya dipergunakan @pun memang mereka tahu akan pekerjaan ini sebelum mereka sampai kesini.
ReplyDeleteTapi apapun cari dalang yang melakukan jenayah ini dan hukum setimpal dengan kesalahan mereka.
ReplyDeleteThe big boss behind these syndicates should be targeted so that these cases can be removed from the roots.
DeleteGood job to the Immigration Department for successfully cracking yet another human trafficking syndicate, keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteSelagi ada permintaan, di situ ada penawaran.
ReplyDeletePemerdagangan orang adalah antara sindiket yang terbesar di dunia. Maka harap ada bantuan dari masyarakat untuk menangani sindiket tersebut.
ReplyDeleteSindiket seperti tu perlu dikesan dan ditumpasakan. Sindiket tu memang kejam. Menggunakan jalan kotor untuk mendapatkan duit.
DeleteTeruskan operasi menangani isu yang berkaitan dengan sindiket-sindiket yang berlaku di Negara kita ini.
ReplyDeleteKesian. Niat mahu merantau untuk pekerjaan yang baik2 tapi menjadi mangsa human trafficking. Pasti ramai lagi yang menjadi mangsa diharap pihak penguatkuasa dapat mengurangkan kadar human trafficking di Sabah.
ReplyDeleteyang lagi kesian tu, dalang2nya dikalangan orang tempatan juga..
ReplyDeletebukan kerajaan Indonesia ada satu badan yang mengurus warga mereka yang mahu bekerja di luar negara ka?? kenapa tidak ikut saluran itu??
ReplyDeleteThere is no visible trend on human trafficking in Sabah yet with the number of cases recorded fluctuating from year to year, according to Deputy Secretary General of Home Ministry, Dato’ Abdul Rahim Mohd Radzi.
ReplyDeleteHe said the number of cases detected in the State was still relatively small and under control but efforts needed to be taken to raise awareness among the public to curb the transnational crime.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Rahim, there were 31 cases involving 87 victims reported in Sabah between 2008 and last year, which represented about nine per cent of the total cases nationwide.
ReplyDeleteThe figure is considered small but it is a transnational crime which we view very seriously.
ReplyDeleteThis matter was noted by the Deputy secretary General after the launch of the Sabah State-level Anti-Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants Campaign at Wisma Wanita.
ReplyDeleteThe Malaysian government has long recognized human trafficking as a serious global crime that need to be dealt with through cross-border operations and multi-national collaborations.
ReplyDeletePlacing human trafficking as the second most serious criminal activity behind drugs trafficking, Malaysia in 2007 set in place the Anti-Human Trafficking Act as part of its effort to put this hideous crime in check.
ReplyDeleteThe Act was later amended to include laws and punishment for smuggling of immigrants, which came into full effect in November 2010.
ReplyDeleteIt currently provides fines and jail sentences of up to 15 years for trafficking an adult and up to 20 years for trafficking a child.
ReplyDeleteAbdul Rahim said 30 of the victims in Sabah were still placed at a shelter home somewhere near the State capital after they were rescued, as their cases were still being investigated.
ReplyDeleteThere were also some others we have sent back to their countries, some of the cases could be perpetuated by international human trafficking rings.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Rahim, most of the victims in Sabah were from the Philippines and Indonesia, and they included men and women as well as young children.
ReplyDeleteHe added that there were also possibilities that Sabahans or Malaysians in general have been victimised by local or foreign syndicates, and exploited as forced labour or for other purposes, either here or in other countries.
ReplyDelete“It is difficult to say, but one thing for sure it is under control,” he said, stressing that efforts will be intensified to combat the crime, especially in the aspect of promoting awareness among the public on the role they can play to help prevent it from happening.
ReplyDeleteHe noted that a total of 599 arrests on human trafficking were made throughout the country since 2008.
ReplyDeleteEarlier in his speech, Rahim said Malaysia haf established collaboration with several countries against human trafficking, including Australia, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.
ReplyDelete