KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 707 Malaysians involved in overseas job scam syndicates have been rescued and returned home as of yesterday, said Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin.
He said that thanks to the cooperation of the Foreign Ministry, Malaysian embassies abroad, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and local authorities, another 199 individuals are currently being tracked, bringing the total number of Malaysians affected to 906.
“This figure is based on reports received from relatives, family members, friends, police and the individuals themselves.
“The phenomenon of job scam syndicates has attracted attention from Members of Parliament, and the ministry regularly receives reports from MPs’ service centres regarding these cases.
“The Foreign Ministry will continue efforts to trace them and provide appropriate assistance,“ he said in response to a question during the Dewan Rakyat session today.
He was answering an original question from Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham (PH-Beruas) about the number of Malaysians deceived into going abroad and forced into or involved in online scams within the past five years starting from 2020.
Mohamad said that so far, five individuals have been prosecuted for offences related to involvement in overseas job scam syndicates under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM).
He said these prosecutions followed information from police at the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Council (MAPO).
“Approximately 90 per cent of the scam ‘victims’ were not actual victims but operators, sponsors, or individuals involved with the syndicates,” he said, responding to a supplementary question from Ngeh about how many agents of these syndicates had been prosecuted.
Mohamad explained that MAPO, comprising 10 agencies, was established to discuss and recommend the best actions for resolving such issues.
Mohamad said that as the ASEAN chair next year, Malaysia would continue to strengthen cooperation among member states in tackling this issue.
“Insya-Allah, next year, as we chair ASEAN, we will raise this issue under the political and security platforms.
“We have been informed by the Home Ministry that they will conduct a series of meetings at the ASEAN level, insya-Allah next year. And I believe the job scam issue will become a focal point for finding solutions at the ASEAN regional level,” he added.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman (PN-Sik) regarding the government’s cooperation with countries where these scam victims are located, including ASEAN member states.
Mohamad stated that at the ASEAN level, a series of discussions on this issue have taken place. During Indonesia’s ASEAN chairmanship, The ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Combating Trafficking in Persons Caused by the Abuse of Technology was issued in Labuan Bajo.
When Laos held the ASEAN chairmanship, a declaration titled the Vientiane Declaration on Enhancing Law Enforcement Cooperation Against Online Job Scams was issued on this issue.
