(Wisma Putra)

PUTRAJAYA (Sept 21): A multi-agency special committee led by the Foreign Ministry will be formed to ensure Malaysians who have fallen victim to job scam syndicates and stranded in other countries are brought home safely.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Special Functions), Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad said the decision to establish the special committee was agreed upon at Wednesday (Sept 21)'s Cabinet meeting.

“The issue was seriously discussed and the government is very concerned about the plight of Malaysians stranded in these countries and their worried families.

"The establishment of the special committee is evidence of the government's commitment to ensuring that the Malaysian victims are brought home safely,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.

On Tuesday (Sept 20), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the government would ensure that Malaysians who have become victims of job scams in several countries be brought home safely, and that efforts were being made through certain channels for this purpose.

He said the government is very concerned and views the plight of Malaysians stranded in Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia seriously, as these individuals had become victims of syndicates offering fake jobs overseas.

On Monday, a group of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) sent a memorandum to the prime minister, seeking assistance, as well as government interference to solve this issue.

As of last Monday, Wisma Putra said the number victims of fake job syndicates who had been rescued from Cambodia totalled 143, from the 158 cases reported, apart from 16 Malaysians rescued from Thailand, 27 (Laos) and five (Myanmar).

Abdul Latiff advised Malaysians to contact the Foreign Ministry if they receive any job offers from overseas, to ensure the offers are legit, so as not to get caught in fraud scams.