KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 — The government is committed to helping Malaysians stranded abroad after falling victim to job fraud syndicates, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.
In a statement today, Ismail Sabri said the government has noted the concerns raised by the Malaysian Community Crime Concern Organisation (MCCC) and the Malaysian International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO).
He added that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functinos) Datuk Abdul Latiff Ahmad has met with MCCC president Tan Sri Musa Hassan and MHO secretary-general Datuk Hishamuddin Hashim as well as family members of syndicate victims.
The PM said the Cabinet would receive a briefing on this at its weekly meeting tomorrow.
“I would like to emphasise that the government is very concerned and takes seriously the plight of Malaysians stranded in several countries such as Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia. Efforts are being made through all available channels and the government will ensure that they are brought home safely.
“At the same time, I advise all Malaysian families to always be careful and alert to job offers abroad. Malaysian families need to check the validity of job offers abroad through Wisma Putra, to avoid falling victim to job fraud syndicates,” he added.
Separately, Musa thanked the government for taking the matter seriously and for its efforts to rescue Malaysian victims of these scams.
Previously, Abdul Latiff said that the governments of Cambodia and Laos have been cooperative with Malaysia’s plea of assistance on the matter while Myanmar was the sole country not assisting.
He said there 58 Malaysian victims in Myanmar as of today, primarily in Myawaddy, in south-eastern Myanmar.
Yesterday, a group of non-governmental organisations sent a memorandum to Ismail Sabri to seek the government’s assistance and intervention in the job scam issue abroad with Malaysians as the victims.
