Malaysia PM queries poor status in US human trafficking report with Nancy Pelosi amid Taiwan visit jitters
- For the second consecutive year, the US has ranked Malaysia worst for meeting minimum standards to eliminate human trafficking and not making significant effort
- PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob talked of ‘continued commitment to deal with the issues’ at a lunch meeting with Pelosi – no mention was made of her controversial Taiwan visit
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Tuesday urged the US to review its decision to keep his nation at Tier 3 of the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, as he hosted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who is on a tour of Asia.
Last month, the US State Department maintained, for the second year in a row, Malaysia’s position as worst ranked in the annual report for failing to meet minimum standards to eliminate trafficking and for not making significant efforts.
“I have asked the United States to review its Tier 3 ranking of Malaysia in its Trafficking in Persons report,” Ismail said in a Facebook post after hosting a lunch for Pelosi and her Congressional delegation.
“During the luncheon, I had stated Malaysia’s continued commitment to deal with the issue of human trafficking and migrant smuggling in Malaysia,” he said.
The prime minister made no mention of any discussion with Pelosi over her visit to self-ruled Taiwan, which is not officially part of her four-nation tour of Asia and is a decision that has created tension in the region.
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‘I’m not too worried’: Taipei residents react to planned visit by US House Speaker Pelosi
China, which considers the island a breakaway province and has vowed to take it back by force if “peaceful reunification” fails, has called Pelosi’s trip a provocation and a move to support Taiwan independence.