Senator C Sivaraj said the Malaysian had her passport confiscated and was forced into domestic servitude in Nepal for 10 years before being jailed for overstaying.
PETALING JAYA: A senator has called on the government to intervene in the plight of a Malaysian, believed to be a human trafficking victim, currently imprisoned in Nepal.
C Sivaraj said he had written to foreign minister Mohamad Hasan to urge Wisma Putra to engage with Nepali authorities and advocate for Mala Vello’s immediate release and safe return to Malaysia.
He also said Mala’s case exemplified the grave shortcomings in the legal frameworks addressing human trafficking, particularly concerning the protection of foreign nationals trafficked into Nepal.
He said the Nepal Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act currently limits its protective measures to Nepali citizens, leaving the likes of Mala without the crucial legal recognition and support she desperately needs.
“Her case underscores the critical need for updated, inclusive anti-trafficking laws and international collaboration to protect all victims of such heinous crimes,” he said in a statement.
New Straits Times previously reported that Mala had travelled to Nepal, where she had her passport confiscated, and was allegedly starved, beaten and forced into domestic servitude for 10 years.
After escaping her captors, Nepali authorities sentenced her to seven years’ jail when she failed to settle a RM88,500 fine for overstaying.
Sivaraj praised the efforts of NGOs such as Project Liber8, “whose relentless advocacy and support for Mala are commendable”.
He said that together, they were exploring all possible avenues to bring Mala home.
“It is our collective hope that Mala Vello can return to Malaysia and be reunited with her family in time for Deepavali,” he said.
