Sarawakian human trafficking victims stranded in Cambodia, awaiting rescue

KUCHING: Not paid a salary, restricted in freedom, and forced to work at least 12 to 13 hours a day was the fate of five Sarawakians, including two from Peninsular Malaysia, who fell victim to human trafficking due to enticing salary offers in Cambodia.

The Chief of the Public Complaints Bureau of the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), Milton Foo, said that the situation faced by the victims was reported to him by their family members and the victims themselves.

“From one of the victims who contacted me, I was informed that seven Malaysians are there, with five of them being Sarawakians,” he said at a press conference at the SUPP Office here today (Oct 12).

Milton added that after receiving a complaint from the mother of one of the victims, he immediately contacted the Malaysian Embassy in Cambodia and confirmed that there are seven Malaysian citizens there.

“But unfortunately, they are stranded at the immigration office there, not at the Malaysian Embassy in Cambodia.

“This is different from a similar case I dealt with before, where the victims were successfully rescued and were at the Malaysian Embassy there.

“If they were at the Embassy, their safety would be assured, but now these victims are detained at immigration, and we do not know their condition.

“The Malaysian Embassy in Cambodia has also sent a letter of application to the Cambodian government regarding this issue, and we are still waiting for approval from the government of that country,” he said.

Milton added that all the victims, consisting of four women and one man in their 20s, had been working in Cambodia since May after being offered jobs with lucrative incomes.

Therefore, he expressed his commitment to do everything possible to resolve this issue and bring back the Sarawakians who are there.

He also reminded the public, especially young people, not to easily believe job offers that promise high salaries abroad.

He said that questionable job offers, especially in Myanmar and Cambodia, are linked to human trafficking when the jobs offered are scams online.

He stated that there is no term for earning better income in Cambodia compared to working in Malaysia.

He mentioned that there were 30 cases reported as of 2022, with 29 victims having returned home from Cambodia.

“I also remind parents facing similar issues not to accept offers of assistance from any irresponsible parties.

“This is because we cannot rule out the possibility that there are non-governmental organisations (NGOs) taking advantage of the families of victims trapped abroad to bring them back,” he said.