Marijuana trafficking equals death by hanging in Malaysia, but child sex trafficking equals tourism dollars

JOHOR BAHARU, June 12 (Bernama) — Three men have a date with the hangman after they were found guilty by the High Court today, in trafficking in 45.49kg of cannabis (ganja).

Car washer P. Samugem, 32, ship worker V. Kumaran and unemployed S. Prakash, 36, appeared calm when High Court judge Datuk Azahar Mohamed delivered the sentence.

The offence under Section 39B (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.

In Malaysia, any amount in possession over seven ounces is automatically considered trafficking and eligible for the death penalty.  Meanwhile, Malaysia enjoys a big economic boost from turning a blind eye to Westerners engaging in child sex tourism:

Sex tourism is a very lucrative industry that spans the globe. In 1998, the International LabourOrganization reported its calculations that 2-14% of the gross domestic product of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Phillipines, and Thailand derives from sex tourism. In addition, while Asian countries, including Thailand, India, and the Phillipines, have long been prime destinations for child-sex tourists, in recent years, tourists have increasingly traveled to Mexico and Central America for their sexual exploits as well.

Child sex tourists are individuals that travel to foreign countries to engage in sexual activity with children. The non-profit organization End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography, and the Trafficking of Children (ECPAT) estimates that more than one million children worldwide are drawn into the sex trade each year.

The response of destination countries to the epidemic of child sex tourism has been ineffective. Although many of these countries have passed legislation that criminalizes sexual exploitation of children, these laws often remain unenforced against tourists. Efforts to combat child sexual exploitation often run into conflict with foreign governments’ efforts to promote the international tourism industry. Police corruption is common. In Thailand and the Philippines, police have been known to guard brothels and even procure children for prostitution. Some police in destination countries directly exploit children themselves. Thus far, the international community has not been able to rely on destination countries to adequately protect the rights and well-being of child victims.

So enjoy your next vacation to Kuala Lumpur and feel free to have sex with a local twelve-year-old… just don’t smoke a joint afterwards.  Sorry for the disturbing comment, but what else can I say about a country that will hang to death a car washer, a ship worker, and an unemployed man for marijuana trafficking, but ignores and even encourages child sex trafficking to boost tourism?