Job scams: NGOs to send memorandum to push UN to intervene

SEPANG: The Malaysian International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) and the Malaysian Community Crime Care (MCCC) will send a memorandum to the United Nations (UN) Office in Putrajaya to call attention to the job scam and human trafficking syndicates in Myanmar involving Malaysians.

MHO secretary-general Datuk Hishamuddin Hashim said the memorandum will be brought to the UN Office on Thursday (Oct 6) to urge the world's body to intervene.

"In Cambodia and Laos, we see that there is serious involvement of the country's police to save Malaysians.

"Unfortunately, the syndicates are now smuggling Malaysians who are in Cambodia and Laos to Myanmar. This shows that Myanmar is the hub of human trafficking in the region and allows the activity to run rampant," he said.

He said this to reporters after the arrival of five more rescued Malaysians from the job scam and human trafficking syndicates in Laos.

Also present was MCCC president and former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

Musa said Wisma Putra should send a protest note to Myanmar's government pushing them to extend their cooperation in conducting operations to rescue Malaysians who had fallen victim to the scam, adding that the matter should be brought to the ASEAN Summit and the UN.

The government should set up a special fund to help Malaysians who were duped by the job scam syndicates and are still stranded in Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia, he added.

Meanwhile, one of the victims who only wanted to be called Tham said he was deceived by an advertisement posted on social media of a job promising him a lucrative monthly salary of 7,000 yuan (RM4,568) in March, adding that he realised that he had been scammed when he was brought to a building in Laos' Bakeo district which was guarded by armed Chinese nationals.

"At first we were told that we would be working at a call centre, but when we got there, we were forced to work as scammers. We were taken to an unfinished building and our movement was restricted. If we could not reach the target set, we would be punished...some were even beaten to the point that their legs were broken and head busted," he said.

Tham and his brother with two other individuals were forced to pay 500,000 yuan (RM326,587) each when they wanted out.

He said they managed to escape with the help of locals but were told that there was a reward of one million yuan (RM653,175) to catch them.

Tham said he was grateful that he could return home to his family safely and expressed his thanks to the Malaysian embassy in Laos, government, police, MHO and MCCC for their persistent efforts in bringing home the victims.

-- BERNAMA