UN envoy to visit Malaysia over mass graves

WASHINGTON: The US envoy on combating human trafficking will visit Malaysia next week amid complaints that the country has failed to investigate properly alleged official complicity over mass graves of suspected trafficking victims.

The State Department has faced a barrage of congressional criticism after Malaysia, a key US trading partner, was kept off a blacklist of countries that fail to meet minimum standards against modern-slavery.

Susan Coppedge, ambassador-to monitor and combat trafficking in persons, will meet Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi during her two-day visit here starting tomorrow.

Spokesman Mai Shiozaki said Coppedge will also meet with senior officials in the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Prime Minister’s Office, and host a round-table with non-government groups.

The department says there are several million migrant labourers in Malaysia and more than 150,000 registered refugees and asylum-who are also vulnerable to traffickers.