VZCZCXRO2111
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHKL #1110/01 3570904
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 220904Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2155
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 001110 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP AND G/TIP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KTIP KCRM MY
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR VISITS GOVT TIP SHELTER; MORE VICTIMS 
RESCUED 
 
REF: KUALA LUMPUR 212 -- GOVT SHELTERS OPEN 
 
Summary and Comment 
------------------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) The Ambassador visited the Malaysian government's 
trafficking victims' shelter for women in Kuala Lumpur on 
December 17 at the invitation of the Women's Minister.  The 
shelter housed 11 adult victims of sex trafficking, while the 
nearby children's shelter housed four girls.  A senior 
Women's Ministry official noted the shelter personnel had 
limited experience and welcomed U.S. expertise.  With the 
most recent raids, Malaysian authorities have rescued at 
least 79 suspected sex trafficking victims since March of 
this year.  We were left with the impression that the Women's 
Ministry is well intentioned in its operation of the 
shelters, but its approach to protecting and assisting 
victims could benefit from exposure to international best 
practices.  End Summary. 
 
Ambassador Witnesses Shelter in Operation 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Ambassador conducted a one and one half-hour 
visit of the GOM's TIP shelter for women victims in Kuala 
Lumpur on December 17 at the invitation of the Women's 
Minister.  Noorul Ainur, Director General, Department of 
Women's Development within the Women's Ministry, escorted the 
Ambassador.  Both the Kuala Lumpur women's shelter and the 
nearby children's TIP shelter are renovated two-story homes 
with a normal capacity of about 20 people each.  At the time 
of the visit, the women's shelter housed 11 victims of sex 
trafficking:  seven Indonesians, two Vietnamese, and two 
Indians.  The children's shelter housed four sex trafficking 
victims; two Indonesians and two Thai.  We found the women's 
shelter clean and seemingly well organized, with a kitchen 
and living room on the first floor, and sleeping quarters on 
the second floor.  Consistent with photos provided to the 
Department earlier this year, the shelter is enclosed by a 
fence and barbed wire, and access is restricted to 
operational personnel only.  Two security guards and two to 
four protection officers are on duty at any given time.  The 
women receive training in sewing and other basic skills.  The 
shelter also provides counseling sessions.  The Ambassador 
spoke briefly with some of the women who volunteered (in 
limited English) their experiences and their desire to go 
home. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Director General Noorul discussed the shelter 
operations in an open and frank manner.  She admitted that 
the Ministry's protection officers assigned to the shelters 
have limited experience and explained she has met with NGOs, 
including the Women's Aid Organization, to get their feedback 
on shelter operations.  Noorul requested U.S. expertise and 
models for operating TIP shelters, and the Ambassador pledged 
to provide any relevant information.  We informed Noorul that 
the United Nations Interagency Program on Trafficking in 
Persons (UNIAP), with regional offices in Bangkok, is 
interested in meeting with the GOM to discuss training 
programs.  (Comment:  Embassy met with UNIAP in November, 
encouraged the project to expand activities to Malaysia, and 
provided UNIAP with GOM and civil society contact 
information.  End Comment.)  Noorul informed the Ambassador 
that the third TIP shelter, recently designated in Kota 
Kinabalu, Sabah, is currently under renovation and should be 
ready for operations in January.  Throughout the meeting, 
Noorul expressed the Ministry's willingness to cooperate with 
the Embassy and told the Ambassador that excluding 
translators, he was the first foreign guest to visit the 
shelter. 
 
Recent Raids Free More Victims 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Most of the victims we saw at the shelter had been 
rescued from sex trafficking in mid-December.  Police 
conducted at least three raids to rescue suspected sex 
trafficking victims in the greater Kuala Lumpur area.  In one 
case, an Indonesian victim escaped the traffickers and filed 
a police report, leading to a raid on a location, operating 
as a "massage center" in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of 
Damansara, that freed another six Indonesian women and two 
Indonesian girls, both reportedly age 17.  Police rescued two 
Thai girls, ages 16 and 17, from Sentul, also in the vicinity 
of Kuala Lumpur.  The Embassy is seeking further details on 
these cases.  With the most recent raids, Malaysian 
authorities have rescued at least 79 suspected sex 
trafficking victims since March of this year. 
 
KUALA LUMP 00001110  002 OF 002 
 
 
KEITH