Malaysia has found no evidence to support claims that thousands of deported Myanmar migrants were handed over to human traffickers in Thailand, an official said Monday.The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations said in a report made public in April that illegal Myanmar migrants deported from Malaysia were forced to work in brothels, fishing boats and restaurants across the border in Thailand if they had no money to buy their freedom.
The report was based on a yearlong review by committee staff who spoke to migrants from military-ruled Myanmar, also known as Burma, and human rights activists.
But Malaysian Home Ministry Secretary General Mahmood Adam said the government had "already set up a few internal investigations, but it's baseless."
The U.N. refugee agency has registered more than 48,000 refugees in Malaysia, most from Myanmar. Myanmar community leaders estimate the number of people from Myanmar living in Malaysia is about twice that. Those caught staying illegally face arrest and can be whipped as punishment before being deported.
Mahmood said those who flee persecution in Myanmar and are registered by the U.N.'s refugee agency are generally not deported.
The U.S. Senate committee report said "a few thousand" Myanmar migrants in recent years might have become victims of extortion and trafficking once deported across Malaysia's northern border with Thailand.
The report quoted one unidentified migrant as saying women "are sold at a brothel if they look good. If they are not beautiful, they might sell them at a restaurant or housekeeping job."
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