Stranded in Manila: Low speaking to Choong during a video call at the press conference here yesterday as Vong looks on.
IPOH: Seamstress Vong Foong Thai is pleading for help to get her son, who has been forced to be a scammer in Manila, home.
Vong, 61, said her 28-year-old son Choong Chin Yee was tricked into working as a scammer in Manila since November last year.
“He managed to escape from a heavily-guarded compound on Tuesday where he and hundreds of other people were being held.
“He is now wandering the streets alone with a little bit of money to buy food,” she told a press conference held by Ipoh Barat MCA coordinator Low Guo Nan at his centre here yesterday.
“He told me that he had tried to seek help at the Malaysian Embassy there but was turned away.
“He was told to lodge a police report first, but he cannot do so as his passport had been seized.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights, as I’m really worried about his safety and well-being,” she added.
Vong said she had earlier on July 27 received a voice message from an unknown person via WeChat, demanding a few “hundred thousand” for the release of her son.
“My son also begged me to rescue him.
“I told him that I don’t have the money, while advising him to hold on while trying to find ways to escape,” she said.
She said Choong had lost his job as a wireman during the movement control order and was introduced to work in Manila by a friend.
“He had told me about a high-paying job, which involved computers, and I did not realise then that it was related to human trafficking,” she said, adding that Choong was the eldest of three sons.
“I later found out that he was working for a Chinese national to recruit other scammers.
“Had I known, I would have prevented him from leaving,” she added.
Low said it was the first time he had come across human trafficking cases in the Philippines.
“We had only previously received reports of people being trafficked to Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia.
“This is not just a Malaysian problem, but the entire South-East Asia region,” he said.
“I hope all countries involved can work together to tackle this problem,” he added.
Low said he would write to the Malaysian Embassy in Philippines about Choong’s predicament.
“I hope they are aware of the trafficking issue there and not turn away other Malaysians looking for help.
“I understand that it can be tricky as some may not be able to prove they are Malaysians, but nevertheless, the embassy could still do some background check, instead or rejecting them outright,” he added.
