Trafficked Malaysian Woman Rescued After Pleading For Help From The Cambodian DPM
Cambodian police forces have arrested five suspects and are currently looking for the other members of the syndicate.
By Jasmine Chea — 26 Aug 2022, 04:05 PM
A Malaysian victim of human trafficking was successfully rescued after she managed to reach out to the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng on social media for help
A spokesperson from the Cambodian Ministry of Interior reported on Wednesday, 24 August, that the victim reached out to Sar Kheng for help through a Facebook post, informing him that she was held captive at the coastal city of Sihanoukville, located in the south-west of Cambodia.
She had allegedly attempted to pay for her release by giving RM31,000 to her captors. Unfortunately, she reported that she was later sold to another syndicate.
She also alleged that she was held captive by Chinese nationals.
Responding to her cry for help, Sar Kheng gave an order to the local police to conduct a raid at the area where the woman said she was
They successfully rescued her and also detained five Chinese nationals who were involved in the syndicate. The Cambodian police force are currently looking for the other syndicate members who are at large.
The woman reported that she had lost more than RM400,000 and two mobile phones during the ordeal. She asked that the Cambodian police help her recover her lost property and help her get back to Malaysia.
It has not been reported how the woman ended up becoming a victim of human trafficking.
In a separate report, it is said that one of the most common ways Malaysians end up becoming victims of human trafficking in Cambodia is by applying for false lucrative job opportunities online
Bernama reported Malaysian ambassador to Cambodia Eldeen Husaini Mohd Hashim, as saying the modus operandi of many human trafficking syndicates is to post high-paying job offers on social media.
These victims would then be brought to the 'job site' and that is when they would usually be forced to work as a phone operator to scam other unsuspecting victims around the world.
These victims will not be allowed to return to Malaysia and will have to pay a ransom to be let go, in which their release is not guaranteed.
"To date, there are more than 60 cases of Malaysians falling for job scams and are pending further actions. We are working closely with the Cambodian authorities in facilitating them to return home," Eldeen said to Bernama.
He urged Malaysians to be wary of suspicious job opportunities on social media that offer high-paying positions and are stationed overseas.
"Check with relevant authorities including the embassy to validate the job offers. Do inform your parents and relatives in Malaysia if you receive such an offer. They might give you a valuable second opinion on whether the job offer is a scam," he advised.
Malaysian Ambassador to Cambodia Eldeen Husaini Mohd Hashim.
Image via Bernama via New Straits Times