Country
Modern slavery in Malaysia
6 documented cases recorded in Malaysia, 2006–2010. Locations are deliberately generalized to protect survivors.
Kuala Lumpur, Northern Perlis, Malaysia
Lee In Chiew Age: 49 Businessman and former teacher Was charged in a district court in northern Perlis state Monday with multiple counts of human trafficking. A Malaysian court charged a man with exploiting 63 Indonesian women who claimed they were lured to Malaysia and forced to work as house cleaners with little or no pay, a lawyer said on Tuesday. The women, promised work as maids for 500 ringgit ($160) a month, claimed they were forced to work long hours as cleaners at various houses, mostly without pay, for at least two years. The youngest rescued woman is 17 years old. Malaysia employs nearly 2 million foreigners, mostly from poorer regional countries, in its construction, plantation, manufacturing and service industries. Many complain of overwork, unpaid salaries and sometimes even physical abuse, but prosecutions have been rare.
Green Heights, Kuching, Malaysia, Malaysia
Wong Tak Leong, a 22 year old Malaysian man, was convicted of the human trafficking of 13 Indonesian woman. He facilitated their arrival to Malaysia, picked them up from the airport, kept them in a condominium and acted as their pimp in procuring them clients to perform sexual services for them. The girls testified in court that while they came to Malaysia of their own free will they did not know the nature of the work that they would be doing, and it was claimed by the prosecution that the girls were exploited into prostitution. Wong claimed he was not their pimp, and merely the boyfriend of one of the girls who was helping them out with their daily activities.
Johor Baru, Malaysia
Malaysian immigration officials discovered a major human trafficking syndicate when authorities detained 116 Indian and Sri Lankan citizens believed to be headed for Indonesia en route to Australia, official news reports said. The men and women, aged between seven months and 50 years old, were staying at an apartment in the southern state of Johor, said state immigration deputy director Muhammad Ali Abdullah. "More than 20 rooms were occupied by the foreigners, believed to be rented by smuggling agents. It is believed that three of the agents were also living at the place but they escaped during the raid," Muhammad Ali was quoted as saying by the Bernama news agency.
kuala lumpur, Malaysia
the victim came under Punitha's care after she was sweet-talked by agents in India that she could get a job as a maid in Malaysia. During her confinement, the victim was forced to provide sexual services to 20 to 25 men daily and her earnings were taken by Punitha. She was also threatened by Punitha that if she refused, her family in India would be killed by gangsters there. the victim managed to escape to the Indian High Commission before making a police report. Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=ViewsColumnsSectionPage&id=1f20bf9b-b476-4e7f-be7e-94714041a61e&Headline=Indian+woman+gets+8+yrs+for+forced+prostitution
Kepong, Malaysia, Malaysia
Hytex Factory is one of the largest t-shirt companies in Malaysia, along with other parts of the world. They had contracts with Nike, Disney, Gap, ELLE, Asics, Levi's, Warner Brothers, Ellers and others. Workers came from Burma, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Sri Linka. Once there, their passports were confiscated, they were in debt bondage from recruitment fees, forced to live in small, dirty quarters (about 25 to a room and 350 people to one bathroom) and forced to sign a three-year contract in a language they did not understand, trapping them their for several years, unable to pay off their debts with the minute wages they were given.
Penang, Malaysia, Malaysia
Police officers in the Philippines arrested and questioned Rachel Sabal after receiving information from Edmonds and Howe. After questioning, Sabal was arrested and held in custody for investigation of human trafficking. Police in Malaysia performed a search of an apartment where Edmonds and Howe suspected Ejercito was being held. Though they found evidence that she had been there, there was no continuation of the investigation after that. When Ejercito turned up at the police station in Malaysia, she was interviewed while her captor, Kang, sat in the room with her, preventing her from speaking honestly about her situation. Howe suggested that Kang be removed from the room and once he was, Ejercito admitted that she was being held against her will. Though there is no evidence, both Edmonds and Howe believe that, based on the behavior of the police and Kang, that they had a preexisting relationship. Later, after Dr. Ng had arrived at the police station and Ejercito's passport had been returned, the police permitted both Kang and Dr. Ng to walk free and no trafficking charges are known to have been filed against them. However, in 2006, Philippine official organized an operation to rescue the 15 other victims that were being held captive by Dr. Ng and Kang.