Malaysia retains Tier 2 ranking in US human trafficking report for third year

Malaysia has maintained its Tier 2 ranking in the 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, published by the United States Department of State, for the third year in a row. The ranking reflects the country's ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking, including stronger law enforcement, prosecutions of public officials involved in trafficking crimes, and increased government funding for anti-trafficking operations.

The Malaysian Home Ministry highlighted improvements such as a significant increase in specialized officers, particularly in the states of Sabah and Sarawak, as well as amendments to regulations under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 to enhance the duration of permissions granted under the law.

The persistent Tier 2 ranking underscores Malaysia's commitment to addressing human trafficking, although it also serves as a reminder that the country still faces challenges in this area.

Brief written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.