Scammers’ new game?

MHO secretary-general Datuk Hishamuddin Hashim says the scammers are now offering new jobs as product distributors

SCAM parks are now employing a slight change to their playbook to entice more victims into their human trafficking chain.

Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) secretary-general Datuk Hishamuddin Hashim says the scammers are now offering new jobs as product distributors; a supposedly actual business opportunity in which victims can earn commissions.

“I can see that the syndicate has changed tactics; they no longer promote job vacancies but instead offer business opportunities to become distributors of specific products. So, our people go there (abroad to scam parks) to become distributors but end up being deceived (become victims of human trafficking),” he tells Sinar Harian.

At the same time, Hishamuddin says it is believed that more than 1,000 victims are still trapped in scam parks in Myanmar.

“But we are unable to bring them out due to logistical issues arising from the ongoing conflict in Myanmar.

“The problem is that a bridge has been bombed and destroyed, cutting off road connection.”

Hishamuddin says currently MHO is looking to negotiate with China to provide a route which can facilitate their escape.

And financial constraints are also posing a significant problem.

“A rescue operation involves transportation, payment of fines to the immigration of the respective district because most of them have overstayed, costs of accommodation and flight tickets.

“We have been unofficially informed that the embassies also have no financial allocation for such purposes. So, we have to rely on funding from the victims’ families.

“But they too, lack the financial means.”

Hishamuddin proposes a system to prevent at-risk individuals from travelling abroad.

“I suggest for the Immigration to be granted with a legal authority to prevent individuals at risk from becoming victims.

“Control at border checkpoints should be established to prevent them from leaving the country.

“Set criteria to identify these at-risk individuals, for example, they are still young, have no travel history to any country, do not have any work contracts, no savings in their accounts, and are applying for a passport for the first time,” he said.

Hishamuddin says it is also time for foreign job offers to receive specific approvals from relevant agencies so that only qualified companies, screened by the Human Resource Ministry, are allowed to advertise job vacancies.