KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 — The Foreign Ministry will continue to step up efforts to rescue Malaysians who fell victim to job scam syndicates overseas so that they can be brought home safely.

The ministry, in a statement tonight, said that so far it had received reports on 301 such cases in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.

"Of this number, 168 victims have been rescued and returned to the country. Apart from this, 34 victims are being held at immigration detention depots and the remaining 99 are still being traced by the authorities of the countries concerned,” it said.

Earlier today the government announced that a multi-agency Special Committee headed by the Foreign Ministry would be set up to ensure that Malaysians who fell victim to job scam syndicates in several countries can be brought home safely.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the government would ensure that Malaysians who fell victim to these syndicates could be brought back safely and that efforts were being made via existing channels for this purpose.

Ismail Sabri stressed that the government was concerned and took a serious view of the plight of Malaysians stranded in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand after being tricked by these syndicates. — Bernama