Govt to appoint 12 ‘protectors’ of victims

PUTRAJAYA: The government will appoint 12 protectors of human trafficking victims to help government officers with similar tasks, as convictions against traffickers rose from seven to 100 in the last two years.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday said the individuals, from non-governmental organisations that help victims of human trafficking, would help officers from the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

“The government has also agreed to collaborate with nongovernmental organisations that are qualified to operate shelters for human trafficking victims, who were previously placed at shelters under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.”

Zahid, who chaired a high-level committee meeting of the AntiTrafficking in Persons and AntiSmuggling of Migrants here yesterday, said there were 100 convictions for human trafficking cases last year compared with seven in 2015. There were 13 convictions up to March 31 this year.