Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) chief public relations officer Daniel Khoo
JOHOR BARU: Thailand’s recent move to cut electricity, Internet and fuel supplies to Myanmar’s border towns has disrupted scam syndicates operating there, but many more centres continue to thrive in remote parts of the country.
Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) chief public relations officer Daniel Khoo said numerous Malaysians remain trapped in Myanmar, suffering abuse and harsh conditions under these scam operations.
“Since the Thai crackdown began in early February, most of those freed were in border areas.
“However, many more scam centres are still operating in jungle regions, some even under construction,” Khoo said.
Based on information from three Malaysians still held in jungle-based scam centres, he said syndicates have increased working hours for their victims to 18-hour shifts, imposing extreme pressure and physical abuse to meet quotas.
Khoo revealed that two women and one man were risking their lives to share details about these operations.
“One of the women has been trapped for over a year. She told us she sometimes gets slapped up to five times a day if she fails to meet her scam targets,” he said.
Khoo urged the Malaysian government to act decisively, noting that those freed so far were mostly in border regions like Myawaddy, which is controlled by the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF).
According to analysts, the BGF, an 8,000-strong army led by Karen warlord Saw Chit Thu, has long profited from criminal enterprises in Myawaddy.
Meanwhile, scam centres deeper inside Myanmar are guarded by another faction, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA). Khoo called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to leverage Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship to pressure Thailand into taking stronger action against Myanmar’s scam syndicates. “Thailand is a major transit point for trafficked victims and provides Myanmar with essential resources like electricity and fuel. It has significant leverage to curb these operations,” he said.
Since 2021, MHO has helped rescue over 400 Malaysians from scam centres not just in Myanmar but also in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and the Golden Triangle. Khoo revealed that more than 100 Malaysians who travelled for job opportunities have vanished, suspected to have been trafficked into scam syndicates.
Unofficial figures suggest the actual number could be in the hundreds.
The NGO receives at least two to three cases per week, with most victims being under 40 and 95% coming from broken families.
While MHO previously assisted with flight tickets for victims’ return, Khoo said families are now responsible for covering the costs.
The organisation continues to work closely with foreign governments and NGOs to aid in rescues. Malaysians with relatives trapped in scam centres can contact MHO via its hotline at 014-9946697 or email info@mhomalaysia.org.
