Move in the right direction: Saravanan (left) with Ryder after ratifying Protocol 29 in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has formally ratified the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) forced labour convention, known as Protocol 29 (P29), signalling the country’s commitment to eliminate forced labour.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan described it as a historic moment for Malaysia.
“We will be the fifth country in the Asia Pacific to ratify P29 and the second country in Asean, alongside Vietnam,” he said in a telephone interview from Geneva.
The ratification of P29 would mean the country will take effective measures to prevent forced labour, protect victims and ensure their access to justice.
It will be regarded as an official move by Malaysia to fight forced labour at the international level.
Under ILO’s definitions, forced labour refers to “all work of service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily.”
Saravanan said the ratification would “pave the way forward in advancing social justice and promoting decent work in the country”.
He also said he had met ILO director-general Guy Ryder and the ILO regional director for Asia and the Pacific, Chihoko Asada Miyakawa to discuss labour issues especially on fundamental principles and rights at work, including forced labour.
Saravanan had often spoken against issues of forced labour, saying trafficking issues, which included forced labour, were a significant challenge for Malaysia.
The minister has also given his commitment to protect the rights and welfare of all workers in the country, including foreign workers, especially in the rubber manufacturing and oil palm industries.
Malaysia’s forced labour issues and treatment of workers, especially migrant workers, had put the country in a spot particularly in the annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report issued by the US State Department.
In November last year, Malaysia launched its first ever national action plan to combat forced labour.
Developed by the Human Resources Ministry with the support of the ILO, the National Plan on Forced Labour (NAPFL) 2021-2025 focuses on awareness, enforcement, labour migration as well as access to remedy and support services.
The aim is to eliminate forced labour in Malaysia by 2030.
Saravanan said in his speech then that Malaysia believed forced labour was “an infringement of human rights and upholds the principle that human sufferings should not be tolerated or compromised, particularly in terms of labour”.
He said Malaysia had strengthened its collaboration with various stakeholders including the source countries for migrant workers including Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam.
“We have also fostered strategic partnerships with the United States and United Kingdom to address forced labour.”
Saravanan said the last time Malaysia ratified an ILO convention was more than five years ago, on minimum wage.
Malaysia has also become a trailblazer country with the Alliance 8.7, a global partnership to accelerate efforts to eradicate forced labour, modern slavery and child labour around the world.
The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) said yesterday that Malaysia’s ratification of P29 has sent a strong signal that it is determined to end forced labour practices.
It also noted that Saravanan had “boldly championed the rights of employers and employees in Malaysia”.
With the ratification, Malaysia must submit a report every three years on measures that had been taken to implement the protocol, which would be examined by ILO supervisory bodies.
Malaysia is the 58th country to ratify P29.
