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malaysia
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69 total results foundAuthor: Tanguay, Pascal Title: Policy Responses to Drug Issues in Malaysia Summary: The development of drug policies in Malaysia has historically relied on harsh punitive measures, including widespread arrest and incarceration of users, and the continuing use of the death penalty for trafficking offences. However, since 2005, the introduction of harm reduction services as well as the more recent initiation of a process to transform compulsory drug treatment centres into voluntary needs-based services for people who use drugs indicates that Malaysia’s response to drug-related issues has become increasingly health focused. This paper provides an insight into Malaysian drug policies and the environment in which the national response to drugs has been developing in terms of harm reduction, prisons, drug treatment, law enforcement responses and civil society participation. An analysis of the situation concludes with recommendations for further drug policy development. Details: London: International Drug Policy Consortium , 2011. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: IDPC Briefing Paper: Accessed September 12, 2011 at: www.idpc.net Year: 2011 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Drug Control Shelf Number: 122721 |
Author: International Catholic Migration Commission Title: Bondaged Souls: Migration and Situation of Trafficking in Sabah, Malaysia Summary: Human trafficking is a multi-dimensional issue. It is a crime that deprives people of their human rights and freedoms, increases global health risks, fuels growing networks of organized crime, and can sustain levels of poverty and hinder development in certain areas. The impacts of human trafficking are devastating. Victims may suffer physical and emotional abuse, rape, threats against self and family or even death. But the devastation also extends beyond individual victims; human trafficking undermines the health, safety and security of all nations it touches, including Malaysia. The Bondaged Souls video and accompanying training manual reveal the suffering of trafficking victims as their tell their personal stories about the intricate workings of the human trafficking business in Sabah, Malaysia. The transational nature of human trafficking, however, poses enormous challenges to governments worldwide. The Bondaged Souls materials have been designed to provide training facilitators with a practical resource for expanding understanding of cross-border human trafficking, particularly amongst Malaysian and international stakeholders. All training modules are flexible and can be used for various purposes ranging from a short presentation to a complete two-day training. The training package includes a training video, which is divided into four episodes, including: 1.Migration and trafficking 2.Modus operandi and debt bondage 3.Exploitation 4.Plan of action Details: Geneva: ICMC, 2011. 124p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 10, 2012 at: http://www.icmc.net/system/files/publication/bondaged_souls_migration_and_the_situation_of_tra_20269.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Forced Labor Shelf Number: 123552 |
Author: Kaur, Manpavan Title: Responding to Protection Gaps in Malaysia's Anti-Human Trafficking Policies Summary: This NTS Alert discusses the protection gaps in national antihuman trafficking policies perpetuated by the dominant influence of the US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Reports. Using Malaysia as a case study, this NTS Alert discusses how overreliance on the US TIP Reports has led certain states to focus their national policies on prosecuting traffickers. Without a more balanced approach, trafficked persons remain inadequately protected. The experiences of local communities in Malaysia can be tapped upon to inform more holistic antihuman trafficking policies; they currently collaborate with the nongovernment sector to assist with these protection needs. However, the nongovernment sector experiences restrictions in influencing policy changes. Thus, it is suggested that a rebalancing of the US Department of State’s skewed focus on prosecuting traffickers is needed to promote internal policy changes in Malaysia. Details: Singapore: Centre for Non-Traditional Security, 2011. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: NTS Alert August 2011 (Issue 2): Accessed April 5, 2012 at: http://www.rsis.edu.sg/nts/HTML-Newsletter/Alert/pdf/NTS_Alert_aug_1102.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Human Trafficking (Malaysia) Shelf Number: 124853 |
Author: Schoppe, Sabine Title: Science in CITES: The biology and ecology of the Southeast Asian Box Turtle and its uses and trade in Malaysia Summary: The Southeast Asian Box Turtle Cuora amboinensis is one of 18 freshwater turtle and tortoise species native to Malaysia. It is widely distributed in Southeast Asia, having four subspecies with similar habitat requirements but different geographic distribution. Among them, the Malayan Box Turtle C. a. kamaroma occurs in Malaysia. In Malaysia, as elsewhere throughout its range, the Southeast Asian Box Turtle is considered the most common freshwater turtle. Nevertheless, the survival of the species is in peril due to over-exploitation. Of the hard-shelled freshwater turtle species in Asia, it has the highest exploitation rate, and is the species most sought after by East Asian consumers and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) markets. Thousands are harvested annually in Southeast Asian source countries and exported. The Southeast Asian Box Turtle has a slow reproductive cycle characterized through late maturity and limited number of eggs. It is therefore feared that the continuous highvolume exploitation in combination with its life history might lead to serious population reductions and finally to local extinction. Details: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, 2008. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2013 at: http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/science_in_cites_the_biology_and_ecology_of_the_southeast_asian_box_turtle.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Illegal Wildlife Trade Shelf Number: 128315 |
Author: Caillabet, Olivier S. Title: The Trade in Tokay Geckos Gekko gecko in South-East Asia: with a case study on Novel Medicinal Claims in Peninsular Malaysia Summary: South-east Asia is rich in biodiversity. It is also a global hub for wildlife trade, both as a source and as a consumer. Wildlife trade, for use in Traditional Medicine (TM), as pets and for food, poses a significant threat to the conservation of many species in the region. The Tokay Gecko Gekko gecko is one such species potentially threatened by trade. This species is found throughout South-east Asia in both urban and naturally forested environments. It has been traded for traditional medicine for hundreds of years and more recently as a pet, mainly to the EU and North America. In 2009 a novel trade emerged in Tokay Geckos Gekko gecko reportedly as a cure for HIV/AIDS. This trade spread throughout South-East Asia with a demand purportedly centred on Peninsular Malaysia. In late 2011, TRAFFIC was granted funding by WWF and Wildlife Reserves Singapore to investigate the trade related to Novel Medicinal Claims (NMCs) in late 2011 in Peninsular Malaysia and the wider trade in South-east Asia for TM. The aims of the study were to substantiate some of the claims surrounding NMCs; highlight the trade routes and trade hotspots for targeted enforcement action and; provide a regional overview of the trade through a desk top study and provide data to support a CITES Appendix II listing for this species. Informal interviews were held with private dealers and pet shops/aquaria selling Tokay Geckos throughout the peninsula. Nineteen dealers were interviewed and more than 250 Tokay Geckos were observed for sale. Several questions surrounding the recent Tokay Gecko trade spike for NMCs remain unanswered, however; following this study, some of the claims can be substantiated. There is no evidence to support the claims of an HIV/AIDS cure. Interviews with dealers in Peninsular Malaysia indicate that considerable sums of money have been paid, in particular, for large individuals weighing over 300 g. Several dealers stated that Tokay Geckos weighing over 400 g are valued above USD 1 000 000, however; TRAFFIC does not believe these claims to be true. The significance of this weight-price threshold is unclear. Price data gathered during this study are inconsistent with claims that heavier individuals are more valuable. Additionally, it is doubtful that Tokay Geckos can naturally reach 400 g. This is the likely reason why some dealers are said to have artificially augmented the weight using silicone or metal pieces. There is no evidence that such huge sums of money, as claimed by dealers in Peninsular Malaysia, have been paid for Tokay Geckos weighing over 400 g. TRAFFIC does not believe that these statements are credible. The motivations for dealers to make these claims are not known though it has previously been suggested that it could be part of an elaborate hoax. To what end, however, is not clear. Based on interviews with Tokay Gecko dealers and seizure records, the trade in Tokay Geckos for NMCs appears to have begun around late 2009 and peaked in 2010/2011. This trade now appears to be in decline. The reasons for this are unclear but could be related to a combination of improved enforcement, realisation among consumers that NMCs are unfounded or the prevalence of scams, as reported by Tokay Gecko dealers and in the media. Results of surveys and interviews with dealers suggest that the online trade in this species is populated by fake sellers. Additionally, private dealers interviewed highlighted that the trade in this species, particularly in Thailand, is dangerous and often involves robberies and hold-ups. Tokay Geckos traded in Peninsular Malaysia for NMCs appear to be originating in Thailand, as well as in Lao PDR and Myanmar. They are harvested from the wild and transported overland to Malaysia. Seizure records indicate that the Philippines is also an important origin for Tokay Geckos traded for NMCs in Peninsular Malaysia, however; no Tokay Geckos from the Philippines were encountered during field surveys. The more prominent Tokay Gecko dealers in Peninsular Malaysia appear to be concentrated close to the Thai border and also to be the source of Tokay Geckos entering the country. According to dealers interviewed during surveys, the primary consumers of Tokay Geckos for NMCs appear to be Singaporeans and local Malaysians. Some even claim use of Tokay Geckos by Europeans and North Americans for medical research. Tokay Geckos were openly sold in 11 pet shops/aquariums across the peninsula. This can be attributed to lax enforcement; however, interviews with pet shop/aquarium staff, as well as information gathered from private dealers, also suggest that there is a lack of awareness of the national law pertaining to the trade in Tokay Geckos. Several private dealers encountered during surveys had licences issued from local Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) (Malay acronym “PERHILITAN”) offices allowing them to trade in Tokay Geckos. However, according to PERHILITAN’s head of enforcement, no licences to trade in Tokay Geckos have ever been issued. Given the system in place, whereby state offices report permits issued to the PERHILITAN head office, this observation is surprising and potentially indicative of a miscommunication/lack of coordination between PERHILITAN headquarters and state offices. The trade in Tokay Geckos for NMCs is reported to have led to localised population declines of wild Tokay Geckos in Bangladesh. Regionally, however, the scale of this trade, in terms of numbers of individual Tokay Geckos removed from the wild, appears to be relatively small. This contrasts directly with the trade in Tokay Geckos for TM. The international trade in Tokay Geckos for TM is colossal. The vast majority of Tokay Geckos traded for TM originate from Thailand and Java, Indonesia. Customs import data show that Taiwan has imported ~15 000 000 Tokay Geckos since 2004, 71% of which were imported from Thailand with the remainder mostly coming from Indonesia. While this trade appears to be legal but unregulated in Thailand, the trade in Tokay Geckos from Java appears to be entirely illegal. It is important to note that Taiwan is not the sole consumer of Tokay Geckos for TM. A seizure in 2011 bound for Hong Kong from Indonesia is estimated to have consisted of 1 200 000 dried Tokay Geckos. Aside from Taiwan and Hong Kong, large quantities of Tokay Geckos are also consumed for TM in mainland China and Viet Nam. The extent of this trade is unknown but thought to be substantial. Considerable volumes of Tokay Geckos are also traded beyond Asia: between 1998 and 2004, 8.5 tonnes of dried Tokay Geckos were imported into the USA. Taking this into consideration, it is reasonable to believe that the total trade in Tokay Geckos exceed the already substantial known trade. Tokay Geckos consumed for TM in Southeast Asia are mostly harvested from the wild. In mainland China and Viet Nam, Tokay Geckos are reportedly bred in captivity to supply the local TM trade; however, the production cannot meet demand. Despite the fact that Tokay Geckos have a large geographical distribution, have high reproductive rates and can thrive in human dominated landscapes, populations are still susceptible to over-harvesting. The trade for NMCs is relatively small and does not does not appear to pose a threat to the conservation of wild Tokay Geckos. However, as mentioned, the trade for TM is substantial and could likely threaten wild populations of Tokay Geckos. This is evidenced by the reported declines of wild populations in Thailand and Java, as well as the past deterioration of populations in mainland China, Given the substantial volume of international trade in this species and the observed population declines, questions surround the legality and future sustainability of the Tokay Gecko trade, particularly for use in TM. Details: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, 2013. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2013 at: Year: 2013 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Biodiversity Shelf Number: 128379 |
Author: Permal, Sumathy Title: Safe Waters: Malaysia’s Response to Enhancing Security in Southeast Asia’s Maritime Domain Summary: Europe and Asia share a long history of multilateral and bilateral relations. Both regions have many things in common including political, economic and cultural ties which have always been closely interlinked. Despite these long-standing relations, new challenges are currently emerging. Maritime security issues such as piracy, cross-border illegal activities and threats emanating from non state actors are bound to pose challenges to the maritime security environment. Malaysia has bilateral and tri-lateral cooperation mechanisms in place to address these challenges, although stronger initiatives along these lines with the EU are yet to materialise. The same can be said of cooperation between the EU and Asia on this issue, and advancing efforts on maritime security in the region and beyond where Malaysia’s interests are at stake require the development of a comprehensive security framework for Europe and Asia. Maritime piracy is a highly sophisticated crime involving all the activities of legitimate company operations although its profits also underwrite other illegal activities such as human trafficking. As with challenges facing other areas of maritime security, there has been scant cooperation between the EU and Asia on addressing this scourge. This study aims to propose links through comprehensive country studies that would bring the EU and Asia closer together in this area by addressing maritime security challenges in the Southeast Asia region with specific attention to issues affecting Malaysia. Details: Kuala Lumpur Malaysia: Maritime Institute of Malaysia, 2012. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper: Accessed June 4, 2013 at: http://www.eu-asia.eu/index.php?eID=tx_nawsecuredl&u=0&file=fileadmin/KAS_Files/documents/Paper_Permal.pdf&t=1370440410&hash=de2d3586ef8d80f7905acda873625de38236203b Year: 2012 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Drug Trafficking Shelf Number: 128933 |
Author: Rejab, Ismail Title: The Modus Operandi of Cigarette Smuggling in Malaysia Summary: The Government of Malaysia acknowledged the dangers of cigarettes on health, through the Food Act 1983 which imposed certain policies on cigarette advertising and promotion. Giving free samples is prohibited under this law. These policies were intended to reduce smoking prevalence, but the morbidity studies conducted in 1997 showed that the prevalence had increased by 5% from 10 years earlier, when the first of such studies was conducted in 1987. There was no indication, however, of smoking among the children in the present study. The findings of the study could be flawed because our observations constantly show that cigarette smoking among younger Malaysians and young school children are on the rise. In addition to increased prevalence, there is a worrisome increase in cigarette smuggling, which makes the cigarettes available at slightly cheaper prices. There is a clear‐cut difference in the modus operandi of cigarette smuggling in Malaysia, between whites and kretek. The latter which are from Indonesia are smuggled by boats and landed on one of the Malaysian shores, stretching from Lumut on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia to Kuantan on the east coast. In the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, smuggling of Kretek has been observed at Miri and Bintulu in Sarawak and Lahad Datu, Sandakan and Tawau in Sabah. The same locations in Sabah and Sarawak are also used to land whites. The smuggling of whites takes on a more sophisticated method, seemingly through the legal channel. Whites from Europe and the Far East are brought in containers by vessels to the Singapore Port or directly to one of the ports in Malaysia, declared not as cigarettes but as non‐taxable goods. Alternatively, these cigarettes are declared as transshipment goods destined for a third country. As transshipment goods, they are not taxable and need not be examined by the Customs. On the way out to their destinations, these containers are instead smuggled into Malaysia. According to the cigarette industry, contraband and counterfeit cigarettes accounted for 21 per cent of the market share of cigarettes sold in Malaysia, costing the Government about RM1.2 billion (US$316 million) a year in unpaid duties . The amount confiscated by the Customs annually is far less, amounting to only about RM78 to RM80 million (US$20 to $21 million). Details: Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance, 2006. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 22, 2013 at: http://www.seatca.org/dmdocuments/15_the_modus_operandi_of_cigarette_smuggling_in_malaysia.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Cigarette Smuggling (Malaysia) Shelf Number: 129484 |
Author: Malaysian AIDS Council Title: Understanding Women Who Use Drugs in Malaysia Summary: The Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) is an umbrella organisation of 47 Partner Organisations across Malaysia working to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV (PLHIV), advocating for access to medicines, and undertaking advocacy activities to reduce the harms of injection drug use. Under the project of Asia Action, funded by the European Union, one of the objectives is to incorporate the gender-specific needs of women who use drugs into drug treatment, HIV prevention, and welfare services. As there is a dearth of research on women who use drugs in Malaysia, MAC is undertaking qualitative research with this population to document demographics and understand the needs and barriers facing women who use drugs. Interviews are ongoing with 45 women who use drugs at urban settings in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kelantan and Johor using a semi-structured interview guide. Preliminary results indicate that s majority of respondents were poly-drug users with the mean age of initiation into heroin use in their early 20s. Only one had not had any contact with police as a consequence of drug use. Those who had been held in police custody had been in police custody more times than prison. Poverty was a key theme. The respondents also felt that they did not have adequate access to reproductive health and welfare services. Health literacy was low and early marriage was prevalent. This report also provides insights into the unique vulnerabilities of young people who use drugs, and provides recommendations to better serve their needs Details: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Malaysian AIDS Council, 2014. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2014 at: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64663568/library/understanding-women-drug-users-in-malaysia.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Drug Offenders (Malaysia) Shelf Number: 133072 |
Author: Verite Title: Forced Labor in the Production of Electronic Goods in Malaysia: A Comprehensive Study of Scope and Characteristics Summary: You might think about debt bondage in relation to making bricks in South Asia or building skyscrapers in the Middle East, not putting together the pieces of your newest mobile phone or laser printer in Malaysia. But if you are reading this on a tablet, smartphone or computer monitor, then you may be holding a product of forced labor. Verite's two-year study of labor conditions in electronics manufacturing in Malaysia found that one in three foreign workers surveyed in Malaysian electronics was in a condition of forced labor. Because many of the most recognizable brands source components of their products from Malaysia, this means that virtually every device on the market today may have come in contact with modern-day slavery. Verite interviewed more than 500 male and female workers across all major producing regions, electronics products, and foreign worker nationalities. Malaysian nationals were also surveyed. The results of these extensive interviews indicate that forced labor is present in the Malaysian electronics industry in more than just isolated cases, and that the problem is indeed widespread. "Verite's study is the most comprehensive look at forced labor in the Malaysian electronics sector to date," Dan Viederman, CEO of Verite, remarked. "Our report provides a clear sense of the scope of the problem in the industry, as well as the root causes underlying this egregious form of abuse, which center on unlawful and unethical recruitment practices." The report identifies the top factors responsible for making this sector prone to human rights abuses. According to Verite's study, the widespread reliance on third-party agents for the recruitment, management and employment of foreign workers limits their protections and blurs accountability for labor conditions. Other top factors identified by the research as contributors to forced labor include unlawful passport retention, high and hidden recruitment fees resulting in widespread indebtedness that can trap workers in their jobs, deceptive recruitment practices, highly constrained freedom of movement, poor living conditions, fines and other penalties that prevent workers from being able to resign, and inadequate legal protections. Details: Amherst, MA: Verite, 2014. 244p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 23, 2014 at: http://www.verite.org/sites/default/files/images/VeriteForcedLaborMalaysianElectronics2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Electronic Goods Shelf Number: 133807 |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: Summary: "No answers, no apology" was how a mother described the response of the police in Malaysia to her inquiries about her son who was shot to death by police officers. Her experience is echoed by many other families whose relatives have been killed or injured by the Malaysian police. Based on in-depth interviews in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and in Selangor, Johor, Kelantan, and Perak, this report documents failures by Malaysian authorities to adequately investigate allegations of deaths and mistreatment of persons in police custody, unjustified shootings, and excessive use of force in dispersing peaceful public demonstrations. There is typically no meaningful accountability for the police officers and officials implicated in such abuses. The police do not effectively investigate allegations of misconduct and the government has shown no inclination to ensure they do so. This impunity is facilitated by the lack of a robust, independent oversight body focused specifically on police accountability, and the police force's poor record of cooperation with existing oversight bodies, including the national human rights commission, SUHAKAM. Police secrecy about internal policies, such as standing orders on the use of force and firearms, further frustrates external investigations. Police need to be accountable to the public and should demonstrate that their policies and practices conform to international human rights standards. External pressure and oversight are important in improving accountability, and police leadership and effective supervision are critical to preventing abuse and misconduct. Human Rights Watch recommends that the Malaysian government create an independent, external commission tasked solely to receive and investigate complaints about police misconduct and abuse. Police authorities should establish an ombudsman's office empowered to receive and follow up on complaints of police abuse and take disciplinary action against officers. Those authorities should also share internal police standing orders with external oversight bodies and reform those orders to bring them into compliance with international human rights standards. Details: New York: HRW, 2014. 128p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 22, 2015 at: http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/malaysia0414_ForUpload.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Human Rights Abuses (Malaysia) Shelf Number: 134443 |
Author: Ling, Lee Siow Title: Hard to Bear: An assessment of trade in bear bile and gall bladder in Malaysia Summary: A new TRAFFIC study has found that the illegal trade in bear bile and gall bladder for traditional medicine is open and widespread across Malaysia and is potentially a serious threat to wild bears. In a survey of 365 traditional medicine shops across Malaysia, 175 (48 percent ) claimed to be selling bear gall bladders and medicinal products containing bear bile, according to the study Hard to Bear: An assessment of trade in bear bile and gall bladder in Malaysia (PDF, 2MB) Every State in Malaysia had bear products for sale, especially Peninsular Malaysia, where bear bile pills were the most common item sold, with the States of Kelantan and Johor topping the list. Nearly 60 percent of 298 bear gall bladders observed for sale were claimed to be from wild Sun Bears killed locally through either opportunistic or deliberate poaching. Whole bear gall bladders were more frequently observed in Sabah and Sarawak - almost all vendors here claimed that gall bladders observed for sale were sourced locally, as have some Peninsular Malaysia traders. Staff in more than half of the shops surveyed admitted to knowing that trade in bear parts and products was illegal under the country's Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, and carries stiff penalties. The vast majority of shops selling bear products claimed to have ongoing supplies of at least some of the items; there are no known captive bear breeding facilities in Malaysia Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 2015. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 2, 2015 at: http://www.traffic.org/home/2015/5/29/survey-finds-medicines-from-bear-parts-widely-available-in-m.html Year: 2015 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Bears Shelf Number: 135850 |
Author: Krishnasamy, Kanitha Title: Trading Faces: A Rapid Assessment on the use of Facebook to Trade Wildlife in Peninsular Malaysia Summary: The rapid growth and widespread use of social media has allowed these new platforms to facilitate wildlife trade, both legal and illegal. Market leader Facebook was the first social network site to exceed the one billion marker of user accounts just eight years into its existence. In Malaysia, over 80% of the internet users are reportedly active on Facebook. Given its popularity and scope, it is not surprising that this site is being used to conduct illicit wildlife trade. The threat of undetected illegal online wildlife trade is real and very relevant and is further compounded by the internet's ability to reach a wide audience within a short time frame. It is suspected that the use of online social networks to conduct wildlife trade is increasingly common. Although reports on the misuse of the internet for the trade in illegal wildlife exist, there has been a distinct paucity of research that examines the prevalence of such trade on access-limited social media sites. Where research does exist, it is often unable to quantify the scale of this trade comprehensively. With this in mind, TRAFFIC undertook a rapid assessment to monitor wildlife trade occurring on 14 Facebook groups in Peninsular Malaysia, conducted over approximately 50 hours during a five month period (November 2014 - March 2015). The majority of the groups investigated were "Closed", meaning only members of that group can view activity on its page. At the time of monitoring, there were 67 532 active members in these 14 groups, one of which was particularly substantial, with over 21 000 members. In total, 236 individual posts of live wild animals being offered for sale were captured and documented from the 14 Facebook groups during the assessment period (an average of 30 minutes a day), with an average of 47 posts per month. A minimum of 311 and a maximum of 380 individual animals from 80 different species were observed for sale. The highest proportions of wildlife recorded were birds (44%), followed by reptiles (34%) and mammals (22%). Close to half of the trade recorded is deemed to be illegal, involving 39 species for which trade is prohibited in Peninsular Malaysia. All animals offered were live, with posts sometimes referring to them as "tame", indicating a proclivity for the pet trade. International Protection Eighty six percent (n=69) of all traded species found during this assessment are governed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which means international trade in these species is either regulated or prohibited. Ten of the CITES-listed species, with a minimum of 24 individual animals, are listed in CITES Appendix I where international commercial sale in wild-caught specimens is prohibited. Notably, 80% of the non-native species recorded in trade (25 of the 69) are listed on CITES, involving a minimum of 50 animals, meaning any trade in these animals requires a CITES permit. Six of these are listed on CITES Appendix I including four Critically Endangered species such as the Ploughshare Tortoise Astrochelys yniphora; it is considered to be the rarest tortoise in the world with only a few hundred adult individuals left in the wild in its native Madagascar. National Protection Ninety three percent (n=74) of all traded species found during this assessment have legal protection in Peninsular Malaysia. Almost half (49%) of all species observed in trade are considered "Totally Protected" by the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 in Peninsular Malaysia, meaning domestic trade is prohibited. Over 60% (n= 49) of all species recorded in trade are native to Malaysia. Significantly, this assessment reveals an unprecedented level of trade in 18 native mammal species, driven primarily by the demand for pets, collector's items and breeding stock. This includes the Sun Bear Helarctos malayanus, Sunda Slow Loris Nycticebus coucang, White-handed Gibbon Hylobates lar and Smooth Otter Lutrogale perspicillata and involved a minimum of 83 and a maximum of 101 animals. Trade in these animals is strictly prohibited in Peninsular Malaysia. Details: Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC, Southeast Asia Regional Office, 2016. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2016 at: http://www.traffic.org/home/2016/3/3/facebook-groups-malaysias-new-wildlife-trade-marketplace.html Year: 2016 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Illegal Wildlife Trade Shelf Number: 138532 |
Author: Krishnasamy, Kanitha Title: Malaysia's Invisible Ivory Channel: An assessment of ivory seizures involving Malaysia from January 2003 - May 2014 Summary: Malaysia does not have an open domestic ivory market, unlike at least seven other Southeast Asian countries. However, its position in the global illicit ivory trade has become more prominent since 2009 when its role as a principal transit gateway for ivory en route to consumer markets in other Southeast and East Asian countries emerged. This occurrence has made Malaysia the world's paramount illicit ivory transit country, according to data in the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS), which tracks ivory seizures globally since 1989. The ETIS report to the 62nd CITES Standing Committee meeting in July 2012 identified Malaysia as one of eight countries most heavily implicated in the illegal ivory trade chain. Malaysia was the only country that served as purely a transit country among this group of African source and Asian end-use nations. To better understand this trade dynamic, TRAFFIC assessed information from ivory seizures from a period of over 11 years (nearly 11 and a half years), from January 2003 to May 2014 - all seizures were either made by Malaysian authorities, or made outside the country, but with Malaysia identified as part of the trade chain. Findings highlight that a total of 66 ivory seizures have been connected to Malaysia, cumulatively recording 63 419 kg of ivory over this period. Although only 26 of all seizures were large-scale seizures (>500 kg), these alone logged in a total weight of 60 404 kg, accounting for 95% of the total volume seized. This report discusses some insights from the seizures over this period, as well as highlighting needs and opportunities in order for Malaysia to remove itself from its current position as a country of international concern for illicit trade in ivory under CITES. For its part, Malaysia has made a total of 19 seizures from January 2003-February 2013 totalling close to 15 tonnes of ivory. Five of these, representing 94% of total volume seized in the country, were large-scale seizures, one of which represents the third largest seizure in ETIS. The large-scale seizures in Malaysia occurred in all three of the nation's leading seaports: Ports of Klang, Pasir Gudang and Penang. However, based on seizures made outside Malaysia during the assessed period, Malaysia has been implicated in at least 47 other seizures, involving more than 48 tonnes of ivory that had already passed through a Malaysian port undetected or was destined for the country. A vast majority of these were raw ivory, with only a small proportion being worked ivory that had already passed through a Malaysian port undetected or was destined for the country. This occurrence is the primary reason Malaysia has been identified as a key transit country in the global ivory trade. These seizures involve the import, export and re-export of ivory (and other prohibited wildlife parts) from at least 23 known countries and territories around the world, at various points of the trade route. Almost 75% (n=35) of these 47 seizures were made by other countries after the shipment passed a Malaysian port unstopped, amounting to 33 889 kg of ivory. Seventeen of the 47 seizures originated from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda - the three major exit points for the world's illegal elephant ivory trade. These three countries alone exported 66% (31 868 kg) of the total volume of ivory seized during this period involving Malaysia, with Kenya and Tanzania each moving more than 13 tonnes of ivory. Tanzania's role in moving large quantities of ivory through Malaysia has been documented since at least 2003, while the other two became more prominent since 2010. From all the seizures involving Malaysia as a transit or destination country, 16 437 kg of ivory from 13 seizures occurred in 2013 alone-the highest annual record over the 12-year period. Seven of these 13 seizures took place in the month of October, amounting to more than 8000 kg of ivory. At least 23 rhino horns were also trafficked along with the ivory between August 2010 and December 2013, with 15 horns seized in a single shipment from Uganda. In two of these shipments involving 20 rhino horns from Kenya and Uganda, Malaysia was listed as the country of destination. Outside this study period, between April 2015 and August 2015, four other seizures by Australia, Kenya, Thailand and Viet Nam have been reported. These involved more than 5 tonnes of ivory that had either passed through Malaysia or listed Malaysia as the country of destination. Such occurrences serve to reinforce that Malaysian ports continue to be used to move large quantities of ivory, and more concerning, appears to becoming more frequent at a time when the poaching of African Elephants is at its most critical level. Not a single arrest or prosecution occurred with respect to any Malaysian ivory seizure during the assessed period. However two prosecutions occurred in 2015, outside the assessed period. Malaysia's geographical proximity to the world's major ivory consumers-China and Thailand - and its efficient and well-developed port infrastructure, which ranks amongst the world's most elite ports, are important factors behind the country being used to smuggle ivory repeatedly. Although the sheer quantity, volume and speed of cargo moving through Malaysia's major seaports involving tens of millions of containers each year makes the detection of illicit ivory shipments extremely challenging, it is not an insurmountable task. Collaborative action, including risk profiling and targeting, as well as timely communication between source and consumer countries have already resulted in a number of successful seizures globally, and indeed forms part of Malaysia's National Ivory Action Plan that was submitted to CITES pursuant to the recommendations of the CITES Standing Committee. Such measures must continue, conducted in tandem with other essential actions, without which Malaysia will continue to be a prominent player in the illegal ivory trade. Details: Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC, Southeast Asia Regional Office, 2016. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 20, 2016 at: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27231847/1473276463457/Malaysia-ivory-analysis.pdf?token=qaFgzHXTokA8FTKZWmPcJE3QWpI%3D Year: 2016 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Elephants Shelf Number: 145620 |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: Deepening the Culture of Fear: The Criminalization of Peaceful Expression in Malayasia Summary: Malaysia's use of criminal laws to arrest, question, and prosecute individuals for peaceful speech and assembly has deepened in the year since Human Rights Watch published Creating a Culture of Fear: The Criminalization of Expression in Malaysia in October 2015. The Malaysian authorities have moved forward with the prosecutions of many of those featured in that report, and continue to use the overly broad and vaguely worded criminal laws identified there to harass, arrest, and prosecute those critical of the government or of members of Malaysia's royal families. The Sedition Act and the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) remain the laws most frequently used against critical speech in Malaysia. Those criticizing the administration of Prime Minister Najib Razak or commenting on the government's handling of a major corruption scandal have been particular targets. The long-running corruption scandal involving the government-owned investment fund 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) has prompted calls from politicians, civil society activists, and commentators for Prime Minster Najib to resign from office. Rather than treating such statements as part of normal give-and-take in a democratic society, the Malaysian authorities have treated such speech as criminal, investigating those involved for sedition, "activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy," and violations of the Communications and Multimedia Act. Similarly, the government has pursued those making comments on social media deemed "insulting" to Najib or members of royal families with criminal investigations and charges under the Sedition Act, the Communications and Multimedia Act, and provisions of the penal code. The government has also continued to prosecute individuals for exercising their right to peaceful assembly under Malaysia's overly restrictive Peaceful Assembly Act, and has used the Official Secrets Act to shield reports on the 1MDB scandal from public view. Rather than amending the laws to bring them into line with international legal standards, as recommended in Human Rights Watch's 2015 report, the Malaysian government has moved in the opposite direction by suggesting it would strengthen some of the rights-offending laws, particularly those that can be used against speech on social media. Human Rights Watch reiterates its call for the Malaysian government to cease using criminal laws against peaceful speech and assembly, and to bring its laws and policies into line with international human rights law and standards for the protection of freedom of expression and assembly. Details: New York: HRW, 2016. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2016 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/malaysia1016_web_0.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Freedom of Expression Shelf Number: 145088 |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Title: Criminal justice response to wildlife crime in Malaysia: A rapid assessment Summary: Malaysia is a major transit and consolidation point for the trafficking of a range of CITES-listed species, and its law enforcement authorities have shown themselves to be very successful at interdicting shipments of illegal wildlife products. Malaysia has effective domestic legislation, dedicated prosecutors within its wildlife enforcement agencies, Environmental Courts, and a strong anti-corruption commission. However, cause for concern is raised by the lack of arrests, prosecutions, and convictions of high-level individuals in connection with major transnational wildlife crime cases. Details: Bangkok: UNODC, 2017. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 19, 2018 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/southeastasiaandpacific//Publications/2017/Malaysia_Assessment_-_09.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Illegal Wildlife Trade Shelf Number: 148879 |
Author: Mohamad, Lukman Z. Title: Children in Prostitution: A study of young women in the rehabilitation centres in Malaysia Summary: Child prostitution has been a major cause of concern in recent years. It is a global phenomenon, which has spread widely in both developing and developed countries. In Malaysia, child prostitution does exist, but it is a phenomenon that the public does not really acknowledge or understand. This study is an attempt to investigate the nature of child prostitution in Malaysia and to identify the key characteristics of victimized children to raise awareness of the phenomenon in the public, government, and NGOs. Two methods of data collection were used in this study; that is semi-structured interview and narrative interview. Altogether, 63 young women safeguarded from prostitution in two rehabilitation centres participated in this study as respondents. The findings suggest that the vast majority of prostituted young women in this sample are likely to: have experienced family dysfunction, family breakdown or domestic violence; be emotionally and physically abused during childhood; suffer from family problems and poor relationship with the family; leave school and home at an early age; and be sexually abused or exploited before they were drawn into prostitution. Ninety-two percent of the respondents entered prostitution between the ages of 13 to 17 years old. The youngest was nine years old. About 48 percent were engaged in prostitution after being deceived by 'boyfriends' who really acting as pimps and 38.1 percent were influenced by peers. Most of them 'served' sex to between 6-10 men per day, 'worked' seven days a week, and were abused by pimps and customers. About 83 percent used drugs, most commonly psychotropic pills and marijuana. The vast majority of them did not use any contraception during prostitution. Implications of the findings are discussed and suggestions made for an effective response to the problem and in aiding the young women in prostitution and the rehabilitation centres, as well as for further research. Details: Durham, UK: Durham University, 2006. 342p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed September 26, 2018 at: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/2688/1/2688_701.pdf?UkUDh:CyT Year: 2006 Country: Malaysia Keywords: Child Prostitution Shelf Number: 151697 |