Parents Bring Home 23-Year-Old's Ashes Who Died After He Was Scammed & Abused In Myanmar
Goi Zhen Feng was a victim of an online dating scam who flew to Thailand to meet his girlfriend for the first time.
23-year-old Goi Zhen Feng's ashes were brought back home by his parents to Panorama Lapangan Akasia, Ipoh, on Friday, 16 September
According to investigators, Zhen Feng was a victim of an online dating scam and flew to Thailand on 19 January to meet his online “romance”.
He was cremated in the presence of his parents at the Hin Kong Temple in Si Racha, Thailand, on 15 September, reported New Straits Times.
A two-day prayer service was held by Zhen Feng's family and friends to say their final goodbyes.
Image via New Straits Times
His parents, Goi Chee Kong and Yang Fei Pin, knew something was amiss when he failed to return home almost a month later
He told his parents before leaving Malaysia that he was going to meet a girl he was in a relationship with for the first time, reported South China Morning Post.
"He met a girlfriend online and they would talk over video calls," Chee Kong was quoted as saying.
"We never saw her face but we heard her voice … whenever we came into the room she would sign off because she was shy or the internet connection would suddenly fail," he added.
Zhen Feng had promised his family that he would return to Malaysia on 5 February, the day before his mother's birthday, but he never showed up for the celebration.
"I knew something was seriously wrong," said Fei Pin.
"My son would always be there on my birthday," she added.
When Zhen Feng arrived in Thailand, he was held captive and trafficked to Myawaddy, Myanmar, a town where many Malaysian job scam victims were allegedly brought to by syndicate members
On 31 March, he phoned his parents for the last time.
"He said he needed RM80,000 for medical treatment. We were certain he was being threatened," said Chee Kong.
"He sounded like he was a completely different person," he added.
His kidnappers allegedly dumped his body in front of a hospital in Mae Sot, Thailand, a town that shares a border with Myanmar, on 11 April
When his body was discovered, Zhen Feng was covered in bruises and scars from the months of abuse he had to endure.
The nurses who cared for Zhen Feng attempted to call his family but were unable to do so because he was registered under "Mu Jun Hong", a fake name given by his abductors. He was also so severely ill that he couldn't speak.
His parents flew to Thailand on 30 August after receiving information that they could meet with their son at the hospital in Mae Sot
His parents brought a pair of new shoes, a set of clothes, and a hat for him. Once they arrived, they were informed that Zhen Feng was pronounced dead on 11 May, and was buried with the fake name.
"We travelled to Bangkok, hoping to bring him back to Malaysia for treatment. However, we were informed that he had died at 2am on 11 May. The doctor believed my son had been abused before he was left at the hospital for treatment on 11 April," Chee Kong told Bernama on 4 September.
Zhen Feng's family proceeded to apply for the process of re-digging the grave to conduct deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing
On 11 September, the results of the DNA test came in and Thai authorities confirmed that the deceased was related to the family and that Chee Kong is (99.99%) the biological father of the victim, reported The Sun Daily.
Zhen Feng's funeral was held at Papan Memorial Park on Sunday, 18 September.
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