The Sunday Star, 12-08-07 reported that gynaecologist Dr. Ng Kok Kwang of Penang wants an apology from NBC over a documentary in its Dateline programme, which linked him to an alleged human trafficking case involving a Filipino, Lannie Erecito.
While Dr. Ng Kok Kwang demands an apology from NBC, Tenaganita wants both the Police and the Malaysian Medical Council to investigate his involvement in this case of human trafficking. According to the Dateline program, the interview with Dr. Ng shows clearly the doctor’s claim that he had invested money together with a Mr Kenny Kang in bringing Filipino girls, including Lannie as entertainment artists. In fact the NBC video showed the doctor wanting about RM200,000 as compensation if he were to release Lannie. It was not just Lannie, but 15 other girls who were allegedly held captive by Kang and Dr. Ng were also rescued by the Philippine Embassy officials.
The question that comes to our minds is why would a well-learned gynaecologist like Dr. Ng invest his money in young girls who cannot sing, then bring them into Malaysia, train them and make them singers? Would it not be better to ensure that the girls who are brought here can sing and thus obtain the work permit as entertainers accordingly? Even if he had provided food and accommodation to Lannie, he had no right to hold her to “ransom”, when she decided to discontinue the contract.
Tenaganita is also very concerned because we are aware of cases where young women have been brought into the country, then raped, made pregnant and the babies taken away from them and sold at prices ranging from RM10,000 to RM30,000 per baby. This story was very well documented by the women lawyers group in Pontianak, Kalimantan. Similarly there have been cases of young women who have been brought from Indonesia via Batam to Malaysia, held in captivity and then their ovums taken and sold for IVF purposes to childless couples.
In the light of these forms of trafficking in persons, the involvement of a gynaecologist raises questions and concern. The organization is equally concerned that Lannie was questioned with the alleged trafficker sitting next to her by the then state deputy CID Chief Supt Razali Basri. Such form of investigations should never happen in a case of trafficked persons.
The NBC 30 minute report as viewed in its Dateline programme is serious. It speaks of a web of collusion between enforcement agencies and the traffickers. Dateline states that not one trafficker was prosecuted in 2006 in Malaysia . One of the girls, Anna, claimed that police and immigration officers were clients of the clubs where she worked. The officers even helped themselves to the girls.
We call on the Inspector General of Police and the Home Ministry to institute thorough investigations into the NBC’s revelation of sexual slavery in Penang. The Anti Trafficking in Persons Act was gazetted on July 26, 2007. The new law must now be enforced and not delayed anymore. The Police Force needs to establish clear and effective guidelines for the investigation of cases suspected to be the crime of trafficking in persons.
If Malaysia wants to move forward in its commitment to combat the transborder crime of trafficking in persons, the Ministry of Internal Security where the Prime Minister himself is the Minister must enforce the Act without delay, professionalize the enforcement agencies, deal with the issue of corruption without fear or favor and establish the inter-agency Council.
Dr. Irene Fernandez
Director, Tenaganita.
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