Police are hunting Malaysians suspected of being involved in a scam ring operating in Cambodia. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE via The Straits Times/ANN
KUALA LUMPUR/SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): The Malaysian police have launched a nationwide manhunt for seven of its citizens, placing them on the national wanted list as part of a widening regional effort to dismantle cross-border cybercrime networks identified by the Singaporean authorities.
An all-points bulletin has been issued to alert enforcement officers nationwide to track and arrest the individuals, who are now wanted in Malaysia and Singapore.
“Police have begun efforts to trace and arrest all the Malaysian suspects. All seven have been placed on the wanted list for arrest and further investigation,” said Federal Police Criminal Investigation Department director M. Kumar in a late-night statement on Oct 31.
The move comes after the Singapore police issued arrest warrants for the seven Malaysians and 27 Singaporeans linked to a syndicate accused of duping hundreds of victims, with losses exceeding $41 million through impersonation scams.
Allegedly coordinated from Phnom Penh, the operation marks one of Singapore’s largest overseas scam probes, underscoring the rapid spread of transnational fraud networks in South-East Asia.
Singapore had earlier moved against the network. In September, the authorities charged 12 suspects, including Malaysians, in the first wave of enforcement.
As the Malaysian authorities try to locate the seven suspects, two individuals have drawn particular attention: Tang Soon Fai, 25 and Tang Soon Wah, 31.
The pair share the same surname, and further checks by The Straits Times found they also appear to use the same registered address in Selangor. This suggests the possibility of another family link in the scam network allegedly led by Singaporean brothers Ng Wei Liang and Ng Wei Kang.
This potential family tie is reinforced by images circulating online and cited by ST which appear to show the two Tangs together. One recent posting, uploaded a year ago, alleged the younger Tang was sought in a separate scam case, a claim the Malaysian authorities have not verified.
Photos released by the Singapore police also appear to have originated from these circulating images, as the faces match and the police versions seem cropped.
Checks by ST also found that both Tangs are eligible for Malaysia’s Sara cash aid and Budi95 fuel subsidy programmes, which require a valid driving licence and physical national identification card presentation.
Records show neither has used his subsidy allocation, suggesting they might not currently be in the country, although this has not been officially confirmed.
On Oct 31, Malaysia’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Rusdi Mohd Isa told ST that efforts were under way to profile the seven Malaysians named by Singapore.
“Data gathering is in the works to identify whether they are here or elsewhere. We will also contact the Foreign Ministry if there is the possibility they are in Cambodia,” he said.
The police are also on the lookout for Kang Liang Yee, Hoe Ming Wei, Pang Han Ee, Bernard Goh Yie Shen, and Yip Chee Hoe.
Checks by ST showed Kang, aged 28, hailed from Selayang, Selangor, and is believed to have had a run-in with the law previously, according to government sources. The nature of the crime is unknown.
In Singapore, the syndicate, allegedly operated by the Ng brothers with aid from their relative, duped victims by posing as bank officers or regulators. The victims were told their accounts were compromised, necessitating an urgent transfer of funds for supposed security checks. More than 400 cases have been linked to the syndicate. - The Straits Times/ANN
