KOTA KINABALU: A young man from Keningau who was a victim of a job scam syndicate in Cambodia was rescued early yesterday morning and repatriated to Malaysia last night.
Sabah chief operating officer of the Malaysian International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO), Capt (R) Jerry Jaimeh, said the victim was flown to the Kota Kinabalu International Airport via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
"MHO received a report from the victim's family on March 25 and immediately launched a rescue mission.
“We coordinated with the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the family to facilitate his release," he told reporters after welcoming the young man at 8.30 last night.
"Despite repeated cases, many still fall victim, especially those from rural areas who lack awareness," he said, stressing the need to raise awareness about job scams.
Meanwhile, the victim, who requested anonymity, said he was initially offered a high-paying job as a security guard.
"I was there for only two weeks and constantly monitored by two or three guards. Since I was new, they did not mistreat me," he said, declining to provide further details.
Recently, a media portal reported that the victim’s mother-in-law, who also wished to remain anonymous, said he left for Singapore on March 5. Thereafter, the family had lost all contact with him.
She said the victim was allegedly deceived by two friends who lured him with a job offer in Singapore. However, after nearly a month, he informed his family that he was actually in Cambodia.
"On March 22, we confirmed that he was not in Singapore but Cambodia. We immediately lodged a police report after learning that he had been kidnapped, confined to a room, and forced to perform computer-related tasks," she said.
