KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 60 Malaysians, suspected to be victims of a job scam syndicate, have been rescued by Cambodian authorities in an operation conducted on Feb 22, says the Foreign Ministry.
In a statement on Wednesday (Feb 26), the ministry confirmed that the rescue operation targeted online scam compounds in Poipet, near the Cambodia-Thailand border.
Following the rescue, the individuals were moved to an immigration detention centre in Siem Reap for further processing.
A consular visit conducted by the Malaysian Embassy in Phnom Penh confirmed that all individuals were in satisfactory condition.
"As of today, 25 of them have returned to Malaysia while 11 others are scheduled for repatriation on Feb 26. The remaining 24 individuals will be repatriated in phases in the near future," the statement read.
Wisma Putra also clarified that this group of 60 Malaysians is different from another group of 15 Malaysians, also victims of job scam syndicates in Myanmar, who were repatriated from Thailand on Monday (Feb 24).
The ministry expressed its appreciation to the Cambodian government for its assistance in rescuing the victims and facilitating their return home.
Wisma Putra, in the same statement, reaffirmed Malaysia's concern over the growing threat of transnational job scam syndicates.
As Asean Chair for 2025, Malaysia remains committed to strengthening regional efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in tackling the misuse of technology by trafficking networks.
"This aligns with the Asean Leaders' Declaration on Combating Trafficking in Persons Caused by the Abuse of Technology, adopted at the 42nd Asean Summit in 2023.
"Malaysia will continue to collaborate closely with Asean Member States and external partners to enhance technical capacity, facilitate experience sharing, promote information exchange, and implement best practices to combat human trafficking effectively," the statement stated.
While regional efforts are crucial, the ministry also urged Malaysians seeking employment abroad to exercise caution and verify job offers through official channels to avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes.
Malaysians in distress abroad are encouraged to seek immediate assistance from the nearest Malaysian diplomatic mission. – Bernama
