Media Statement
by DAP Women Chairperson and MP for Bukit Mertajam, Chong Eng
in Petaling Jaya
on Friday, 25th October 2002

DAP Women calls on the authorities to adopt a multi-pronged strategy to combat trafficking of women for prostitution


Bukit Aman police in a statement on May 3, 2002 revealed that between 1996 and April 15 this year, a total of 18,119 women were arrested because of suspicion of involvement in prostitution.

The following is a yearly breakdown of the police arrests:

1996 - 1314
1997 - 2250
1998 - 2176
1999 - 3310
2000 - 3601
2001 - 4132
2002 (up to April 15) - 1339

I believe that these statistics represented only the number of women who had been arrested and there are many other such cases where no arrest was made.

These trafficked women mainly came from Indonesia, Philippines, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Russia and India. Many of them were cheated to come to Malaysia.

Recently, there was a report saying that there were Chinese women in Klang who offered themselves to men as a temporary wife for a stipulated sum. This is an indication that trafficking of women into the country for prostitution-related purposes was becoming increasingly serious.

DAP Women is concerned that if this problem is not nipped in the bud, it will become an unhealthy culture that will affect the well being of the family and society.

Bukit Aman police on August 30 this year said that the Ops Anaconda launched in the first seven months of 2002 had resulted in the arrest of 2,734 women from 11 countries suspected of being involved in prostitution. At the same time, the police had rescued 149 local under-aged girls.

The statement from the police had confirmed the findings of the Coalition Against Trafficking of Women which revealed that Malaysia is a receiving country of trafficked women from China, India, Russia as well as the South East Asian region.

Deputy Home Minister, Datuk Zainal Abidin Zin in a press report on July 20, 2002 disclosed the existence of illegal syndicates in the country which duped and lured foreign women into vice activities with the promise of various forms of employment.

It is evident from the revelation of Zainal and the police, the authorities are aware of the trafficking of women by illegal syndicates into the county for prostitution activities. We are surprised that the police had focused on arresting these women instead of arresting and charging in court the members and leaders of such syndicate.

A research conducted by Human Rights Watch in Greece and around the world found that trafficking of women for forced prostitution often involves the complicity of the police and corrupt immigration officers. In fact, many believe that the international phenomenon of trafficking of women for forced prostitution could not exist at any level without the involvement of such officers.

Director of the Bukit Aman Anti-Vice Unit, Abdul Rahim Hanafi in an interview on July 23 this year did not deny that the entry of many foreign prostitutes into Malaysia was to a certain extent linked to lax enforcement of the law by the authorities concerned.

Section 372 of the Penal Code prohibits the selling of minors whereas section 373 prohibits the buying of minors for purposes of prostitution. Section 373A of the same Code further stipulates that importing for purposes of prostitution is an offence.

Two questions that arise are:

1. Since the police had stated that Ops Ananconda had rescued 149 under-aged girls from the snare of prostitution, why is it there no one had been charged for exploiting them?

2. In the same report on August 30, the police had disclosed that up to July, the police had busted at least 10 syndicates that controlled prostitution activities and 13 operators of such activities were arrested and were banished to other states under the Restricted Residence Act 193. Why did the police not charge these unscrupulous characters under section 373A of the Penal Code?

DAP Women is of the opinion that if the police merely arrests the foreign women and not come down hard on the offenders, it will not solve the problem of such vice activities.
In reality, the women are victims and should not be punished. On the contrary, the police should help them get compensation from these unscrupulous operators.

In order to uphold the reputation of the country, the authorities must enforce the law strictly and ensure that all the parties involved in the hideous crime of trafficking women for prostitution be subjected to harsh punishment. Otherwise, neighboring countries would have the unfortunate impression that Malaysia is a haven for prostitution.

We also propose that comprehensive anti-trafficking law be enacted to tackle the rampancy of such activities and sections 372, 373 and 373A of the Penal Code and the related provisions of the Child Act 2001 be publicized for greater awareness.