Acting Permanent Secretary (Security and Law) at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Zulhusam bin Haji Abdul Samad highlighted that Brunei Darussalam’s efforts in combating TIP are guided by the Maqasid Syariah principle, which prioritises the protection of life.
Zulhusam who is also Chairman of the National Committee for Anti-Trafficking in Persons (NCTIP) said this during the 2nd Manila Dialogue: Regional Meeting of Southeast Asian Inter-Agency Counter-Trafficking Committees (IACAT) in Manila, the Philippines, on October 15 and 16.
He also outlined the whole-of -government approach to ensure the safety of all individuals in the country, regardless of nationality.
He highlighted that despite Brunei’s recent downgrade to Tier 3 in the United States (US) TIP report, the government remains committed to strengthening its anti-trafficking efforts.
The acting permanent secretary also said that Brunei continues to learn from neighbouring countries ranked in Tier 1 and Tier 2. Since the establishment of the NCTIP in January 2020, significant milestones have been achieved, including enhanced enforcement, legislative reviews, and the formulation of national strategies.
The NCTIP is currently finalising the National Action Plan on TIP, focusing on Brunei’s local context.
Capacity building for law enforcement agencies through local and regional training programmes remains a key priority.
The Taskforce for Raising Public Awareness on TIP implemented various initiatives to increase awareness, particularly among foreign missions such as the embassies of the Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Bangladesh.
The programmes aim to educate on immigration laws, human trafficking, smuggling and workers’ rights.
The acting permanent secretary further reported that TIP is given top priority, with enforcement agencies intensifying screening operations in recent years.
Senior officials from the PMO, Royal Brunei Police Force and Ministry of Home Affairs were part of the delegation.
The dialogue, organised by IACAT in collaboration with the Embassy of the Netherlands in the Philippines, marked the 10th anniversary of the Manila International Dialogue on Human Trafficking.
The platform allowed ASEAN member states to exchange views and share best practices on combating trafficking in persons (TIP) and addressing forced criminality.
As a result, there has been a significant reduction in cases requiring further investigation, with 36 cases referred to the TIP Assessment Team for evaluation this year.
Investigations have led to the prosecution of two human trafficking cases in 2012 and 2016, while a labour trafficking case is currently under trial.
The Manila Dialogue, chaired by Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Lopez Ty, facilitated discussions among ASEAN member countries on sharing experiences and strategies, strengthening cooperation and exploring ways forward in TIP prevention.
