Human trafficing and forced labour: the Malaysian case

Abstract

In recent years, the global community led by government institutions and prominent stakeholders has been aggressively addressing the issue of forced labour. It is evident with the increasing number of leading brand companies that have pledged to compel their global supply chain to improve labour standards and adoption of ethical recruitment for migrant workers. This manuscript aims to provide a descriptive analysis of the forced labour trend in the current economic landscape and the relevant stakeholders’ responses in handling this issue. The information obtained from published academic literature, policy papers and reports, including awareness building support in private initiatives, sharing of best practices, identifying legal reform and research priorities provide an overview of Malaysia’s efforts in tackling forced labour. This paper concludes that there is an urgent need for greater awareness among Malaysian employers to recognize forced labour as a pressing social issue. It requires a collaborative effort among all stakeholders, particularly with the government and civil society in order to eradicate such practice from their supply chain collectively.