HEAR US OUT: Hishamuddin (right) listening to the grouses of traders at Lorong Haji Taib during a walkabout exercise at the Chow Kit area.
However, he would not reveal the requirements the Malaysian government is obliged to fulfil to avoid sanctions, which includes the suspension of US non-humanitarian aid.
"It is still premature to reveal the requirements," he said. But he promised to do so soon. "This is not something new as we've been blacklisted before when we didn't have the statutes (the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act 2007) yet. In a short time frame we need to narrow down exactly what it is that we need to work on.
"The problem we need to address could be about child labour, prostitution or Myanmar refugees.
"I have already asked my officers to work with the US Embassy and I will also be meeting up with the ambassador soon to discuss how we can work on this jointly. I'm willing to work with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the US on this," he said.
Hishamuddin also said that it is necessary for the Malaysian government to "benchmark our standards (in human rights) against international norms or else it is arbitrary for the US to judge us in the way it had".
When asked if he had set a specific time frame to get back to the US State Department, Hishamuddin said: "There is no set time frame. It is our responsibility to respond and we will respond. I am all for getting to the bottom of this human trafficking issue in a joint way by cooperating with the NGOs, the US and also other countries like the United Kingdom and Australia, because the problems we face and our objectives are the same and our efforts should also be done in a cooperative manner without having to point fingers at anyone."
Hishamuddin was speaking to Malay Mail after a walkabout exercise at Jalan Chow Kit and Lorong Haji Taib, well-known for its problem of drugs and prostitution. During the walk about Hishamuddin talked to traders in the area on their grouses and worries.
He visited a lot that has been identified as a possible location for the police to set up a station. He hopes that the setting up of a police station there will be a permanent solution to prevent crime and vice activities but said that he will have to study the proposal.
He also spoke to several victims of the Ah Long menace, declaring "war" on the illegal moneylenders after listening to the plight of family members of loan defaulters who suffered at the hands of the loan sharks.
Last Tuesday, Malay Mail reported that Malaysia made it to the modern slavery list along with Myanmar, Chad, Cuba, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe and others on the US State Department's annual TIP report. The report studies efforts of 173 countries in fighting human trafficking for forced labour, prostitution, military service and other reasons.
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