Tenaganita said governments must address the root cause of irregular migration instead, as enforcement-heavy methods do not stop the influx and only force migrants into taking more dangerous routes as they seek greener pastures.
“This tragedy is a painful reminder that enforcement-heavy, punitive, and fear-driven approaches do not stop migration.
“They only force people further underground, into more dangerous routes, deeper debt, and the hands of traffickers, smugglers, and exploitative networks,” its executive director, Glorene Das, said in a statement.
She said the incident near Pangkor shines a light on the harsh realities faced by migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, who often resort to illegally entering other countries because of extreme poverty, debt, displacement, conflict, or exploitation by recruitment agents and smuggling rings.
An initial investigation found that 37 people were aboard the vessel which departed from Kisaran, Indonesia, on May 9.
Twenty-three people were rescued by fishermen after the boat sank, while the lifeless bodies of seven have been recovered. Search operations for seven others are ongoing.
Das said undocumented migrants often pay between RM5,000 and RM25,000 to agents and smugglers to enter Malaysia, with some reportedly paying up to RM50,000 for longer or transit journeys to third countries.
“These syndicates profit enormously from human desperation, fear and hope. Many migrants enter situations of debt bondage and exploitation long before they even arrive at their destination,” she said.
She said it was also important to distinguish between refugees processed through formal resettlement channels and those who fall victim to smuggling and trafficking networks.
Das called for stronger regional cooperation, including the establishment of safe and accessible migration pathways, ethical recruitment systems, and tougher action against traffickers.
“Every life lost at sea is not just a number. These are human lives, dreams, and families destroyed by systems that continue to fail the most vulnerable.
“Human lives, dignity and protection must remain at the centre of all migration policies and responses,” she said.