Labor Inspector Training Series with Sabah Labor Department

*Participants of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah workshop*

In September and October, the MY Voice team continued our ongoing engagement with the Sabah Labor Department (JTK Sabah), conducting a series of Labour Inspector Training Workshops. The workshops brought 91 labour inspectors together, providing a space to connect with one another and build skills in conducting effective forced and child labour investigations.

JTK Sabah is a department under the Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia responsible for the administration and enforcement of labour laws in Sabah. The department aims to safeguard the welfare and interests of workers and create a harmonious and conducive atmosphere for industrial relations in Sabah.

Training Workshops

The workshop series included two modules:

Module 1: Effective Investigation Techniques on Child Labor and Forced Labour
Module 2: Effective Interviewing Strategies

The training included a role-playing exercise, in which participants conducted mock interviews in a plantation setting, applying what they learned during the session. Participants also had breakout sessions to have group discussions on issues surrounding forced and child labour.

*A participant presenting the outcome from their breakout discussion*

MY Voice welcomed guest speakers to the workshops, including ASP Azrul Azwan bin Abd Malek from the Royal Malaysian Police Anti-Human Trafficking and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants division, who delivered a session on the Action Against Trafficking In Persons and Smuggling Of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act 2022.

Zahrahtul Najihah binti Haji Razi and Wan Ismail Wan Ibrahim, officers from the Peninsular Malaysia Labor Department (JTKSM) also joined, presenting on “Investigation of Anti-Trafficking in Persons (ATIP) Cases in the Context of Forced Labour: A Comprehensive Work Process” and “Labour Housing Standards” respectively.

*JTK Sabah director Wan Zulkifli Wan Setapa speaking to participants at the second workshop in Kota Kinabalu.*

Training Impacts

JTK Sabah director Wan Zulkifli Wan Setapa expressed that he anticipates that this MY Voice capacity building initiative will improve the labour inspectors’ service delivery, approach to working with vulnerable populations, and ability to ensure that employers are held accountable for non-compliance with the newly passed Sabah Labor Ordinance.

Wan Zulkifli added that the ideas and framework shared during the session will be incorporated in the upcoming JTK Sabah Labor Inspector’s Conference with hopes of including them in JTK Sabah’s 2025 action plan.