Selangor Journal
Several of the 24 Malaysians who were successfully brought home by the Foreign Affairs Ministry from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, after being freed from captivity as victims of job scams, at the arrival lobby of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2), Sepang, on September 9, 2022. — Picture by BERNAMA

Cabinet to discuss issue of job scams involving Malaysian victims abroad

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 20 — The proposed setting up of a special committee at the Asean level will be among the approaches to be discussed by the Cabinet at its meeting tomorrow to resolve the issue of Malaysians falling victims to job scams abroad, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Datuk Abdul Latiff Ahmad.

He said the government viewed the matter seriously and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has instructed him to look into the issue.

“This issue requires the cooperation of all parties and it will be discussed (at the Cabinet meeting) tomorrow,” Abdul Latiff told a press conference after a meeting with the families of job scam victims and representatives of some NGOs here today.

The NGO representatives included Malaysian International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) secretary Datuk Hishamuddin Hashim and the Malaysian Community Crime Care (MCCC) president Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

Yesterday, a group of NGOs sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister to request the government’s assistance and intervention in resolving the job scam issue with Malaysians as the victims abroad.

According to Wisma Putra, as of yesterday, 43 victims of job scams in Cambodia were rescued, out of 158 reported cases.

When questioned whether the government will restrict the movement of Malaysians to avoid more people becoming victims of job syndicates, the minister said the government has no right to do so.

“We have no authority to stop Malaysians from travelling, but if you want to travel, inform your family members.

“If you are offered jobs, check the names of the agencies at the embassy of the country you are heading to,” he said.

Meanwhile, Musa, who is a former Inspector-General of Police, said he had been in contact with the police at the D3 Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Division (Atipsom) to obtain more information about the syndicate and hoped that the division would also be able to assist in the investigation and rescue the victims.

— Bernama

 

Top Picks

Police arrests French-Israeli man with six guns in Kuala Lumpur

Litrak’s toll rebate prog for Damansara-Puchong Expressway users ends April 1