DAP Women Sabah: No Tolerance for Human Trafficking in Keningau

20 August 2025

KENINGAU: Chairperson of DAP Wanita Sabah, Bronica Sikula, has issued a strong statement condemning a recent human trafficking case in Keningau involving four young girls, including underage victims.

Describing the incident as a “vile crime and a grave betrayal of our children”, Sikula called for immediate and uncompromising action against those responsible. She labelled the act not merely as criminal but as “abuse, modern-day slavery, and a theft of our next generation’s future.”

While acknowledging the swift response of the police in rescuing the victims, Sikula expressed concern that the arrest of an 18-year-old girl may be misrepresented as justice being served. “It is highly likely that she herself was a manipulated or coerced victim,” she said, questioning why the key perpetrators had yet to be apprehended.

“Where are the masterminds? Where are the syndicate leaders? Who are the customers buying the bodies of our children?” she asked.

Sikula was particularly firm in rejecting the idea that those who pay for sex with minors are mere “clients”. “They are rapists,” she said, demanding they be arrested, prosecuted, and punished to the fullest extent of the law. She also stressed that any premises, networks, or individuals complicit in such crimes must be held accountable.

The DAP Wanita Sabah leader warned against equating victim rescue with justice. “If their bodies are free but their souls remain broken, then this country has failed them twice,” she stated, urging the government to prioritise trauma support, long-term protection, education, and social reintegration for the victims.

Highlighting the broader issue, Sikula claimed the case was evidence of a growing human trafficking problem in Sabah, fuelled by demand, profit, and public apathy. “It exists because there is demand, there is profit, and too many choose to turn a blind eye,” she said.

“I will not remain silent. I demand a full and thorough investigation that gets to the root of the issue. We want the masterminds arrested, the syndicates dismantled, and the perpetrators punished. Full stop. No excuses, no compromise,” she concluded.