VZCZCXYZ0362
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKL #0146 0631043
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031043Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0610

UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 000146 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP, G/TIP FOR KATHLEEN BRESNAHAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL SMIG ASEC ELAB KCRM MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIA: TIP PROPOSALS FOR FY2008 ESF AND INCLE 
FUNDS 
 
REF: A. 07 STATE 161287 - G/TIP SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS 
 
     ¶B. EMAIL - GALLEGO TO GTIP OF 11 FEB 08 
     ¶C. EMAIL - GALLEGO TO GTIP OF 19 FEB 08 
 
 ¶1.  Post submits for funding consideration the following two 
proposals from The Asia Foundation and the International 
Organization for Migration.  Post fully recommends both 
proposals and lists them by priority.  Both proposals focus 
on effective implementation of Malaysia's new comprehensive 
anti-trafficking law.  We submitted these proposals to G/TIP 
and EAP/RSP via email on February 11 and 19. 
 
¶2.  The Asia Foundation (TAF):  Post recommends the TAF 
proposal as a first priority.  TAF's three-year project, with 
a budget of $445,506, will enhance Malaysian government (GOM) 
efforts to implement and enforce the 2007 Anti-trafficking in 
Persons Act by providing exposure to best practices and 
international standards, and supporting Malaysian NGOs. 
While the new law is comprehensive, it is only now entering 
the initial enforcement phase.  The goal of the project is to 
strengthen prosecution of traffickers in Malaysia.  The 
project has three objectives: 1) enhance the capacity of 
prosecutors and judges to effectively prosecute traffickers; 
2) improve community coordination in Sabah and Sarawak to 
better protect victims and prosecute traffickers; and 3) 
improve victim care in shelters and increase legal testimony 
from victims.  TAF will draw on its network of contacts in 
Malaysia and extensive regional experience and expertise in 
anti-trafficking to implement the proposed project. 
Measurable results will include: increased number of 
prosecutions of traffickers; shelters meet international 
standards and victims receive better protection; increased 
number of victims willing to testify against their 
traffickers; and increased and better coordinated 
community-based interventions in Sabah and Sarawak to protect 
victims and prosecute traffickers.  TAF will work closely 
with the Asia Regional Trafficking in Persons project, an 
ASEAN regional project funded by the Australian government, 
and local NGOs, including the Malaysian Human Rights 
Commission and Tenaganita, to implement the proposed project. 
 TAF's proposal meets our goal of encouraging government 
action and enhancing government capacity to combat 
trafficking in persons effectively. 
 
¶3.  (U) International Organization for Migration (IOM):  As a 
second priority, we recommend IOM's submission.  The 12-month 
project, with a budget of $186,040, will provide base-line 
training on combating TIP utilizing the wide range of 
training and resource materials IOM consolidated in its long 
experience implementing counter-trafficking programs.  The 
proposal includes drawing from international best practices 
and lessons learned from other governments' experiences 
combating trafficking in persons.  IOM will engage with the 
Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Immigration, and 
Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development as its 
main counterparts to advance an interdepartmental training 
platform to strengthen operational coordination and victim 
support measures as part of implementing the GOM's 
comprehensive anti-TIP law.  IOM's project objectives are: 1) 
to develop and deliver a comprehensive counter-trafficking 
training module for senior government officials at the 
decision-making level; 2) to deliver c 
omprehensive counter-trafficking training to at least 250 
operational and frontline law enforcement and government 
social service providers; and 3) to facilitate the 
establishment of working groups to draft operational 
coordination/referral guidelines for the handling of victims 
of trafficking cases.  This proposal is aligned with our 
efforts to build capacity within law enforcement and expand 
GOM's interagency efforts to implement its anti-TIP law. 
KEITH