By Sim YH
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 17 OCT- The Brunei Darussalam delegation attended the meeting 2nd Manila Dialogue: Regional Meeting of Southeast Asian Inter-Agency Counter-Trafficking Committees (IACAT) which took place in Manila, Republic of the Philippines last October 15 to 16.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Department, here, the delegation was led by the Acting Permanent Secretary (Securities and Law), Prime Minister’s Department as Chairman of the National Committee for Anti-Trafficking in Persons (JKAPO), Awang Zulhusam bin Haji Abdul Samad and joined by senior officers from the Prime Minister’s Department, the Royal Brunei Police Force as Chairman of the Working Committee for Anti-Trafficking in Persons and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The meeting is an initiative between IACAT and the Embassy of the Netherlands in the Republic of the Philippines in conjunction with the 10th Anniversary of the Manila International Dialogue on Human Trafficking which is dedicated to national committees responsible for human trafficking issues (Trafficking in Persons, TIP) ) in ASEAN countries.
At this meeting, the ASEAN countries have exchanged views and information on the latest developments and challenges faced, especially dealing with TIP with violent crimes or forced criminality.
During the meeting, Awang Zulhusam emphasized that the country’s approach in fighting TIP crime is guided by the principle of Maqasid Syariah which prioritizes the preservation of life as one of its main principles.
In addition, the Government’s approach through a systematic whole of government approach is to ensure that all residents of this country are protected from the threat of crime.
Awang Zulhusam also shared the latest developments regarding the TIP crime situation and the challenges and efforts in combating and dealing with TIP criminal activities in Brunei Darussalam. Among other things, he has emphasized that even though the country’s position has been lowered from Tier 2 Watch List to Tier 3 inside US TIP Report 2024Brunei Darussalam will continue to be committed in further strengthening efforts to deal with TIP crime and will continue to learn best practices from neighboring countries that are in Tier 1 and Tier 2.
The JKAPO, which was established in January 2020, has achieved several achievements in the fight against crime such as further enhancing the efforts of law enforcement and law enforcement agencies, reassessing legislation, establishing a national strategy and capacity building. Now JKAPO is in the process of finalizing the National Action Plan on TIP that focuses on the local context.
In addition, the Public Awareness Program Taskforce on Anti-Trafficking in Persons has implemented various awareness programs in national embassies such as the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines, the Royal Thai Embassy, ​​the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the High Commission of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
The main purpose of the program is to provide public awareness about laws related to immigration, passports, human trafficking and smuggling and workers’ rights.
Awang Zulhusam also shared that enforcement agencies have increased the number of screening operations over the past few years to prevent TIP activities especially among foreign workers.
From the screening operation, 36 cases have so far been referred for evaluation by the TIP Evaluation Team this year. Investigations and assessments carried out by the team have resulted in the prosecution of two cases of human trafficking in 2012 and 2016 as well as one case of labor trafficking which is currently under trial.
Photograph submitted by the Prime Minister’s Department
