Malaysia triples jail time for people smugglers

Parliament's upper house is expected to approve changes to strengthen laws against human trafficking next week, a Parliament official said on condition of anonymity, citing protocol. The amendments were passed by Parliament's lower house earlier this month, and the senate's approval will enable them to be enforced.

Malaysia has become a magnet for people from impoverished or war-torn places looking for work here illegally or seeking a transit point to sneak into other nations, especially Australia.

Officials say these people sometimes fall prey to forced labor and sexual exploitation by human trafficking networks. The government says it has rescued more than 1,200 such victims since 2008 and brought 155 cases before the courts. Nine people have been convicted so far for people smuggling.

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