Shirley, who only wanted to be known by her first name, said her 29-year-old son fell victim to a fraudulent job offer in Thailand and was forcibly taken from there to Myanmar.
“Two years ago, my son came across an advertisement on Facebook about a job in computer software. He informed our family members and went to Bangkok, with the company providing the air ticket.
“Upon arriving at an airport in Bangkok, two men forcibly held him at gunpoint and whisked him away to Myanmar, confiscating all his documents and phone,” she told a press conference organised by Segambut PKR today.
Shirley said her son contacted her on Feb 15, saying he had been trafficked to Cambodia where he has had to endure terrible conditions.
“My son said he has been deprived of basic hygiene, such as not being able to brush his teeth for a year, and has been living in substandard conditions, including sleeping without a proper bed.
“He also told me he was coerced into working as a scammer in Cambodia, and would be denied food if he failed to meet the set targets,” she said.
Shirley said she reported the incident to the police on Feb 21 and is waiting for updates from them.
Another mother, Tan Kim Huat, is enduring a similar ordeal after her son, Fu Kai Man, disappeared two years ago while working as a customer service representative at a casino in the Philippines.
Tan said her son found the job through Facebook seven years ago and returned frequently to Malaysia during the early years.
“Then two years ago, he went missing and couldn’t be found. I asked his friend there to look for him, but they couldn’t find him,” she said.
Tan lodged a police report on July 2, 2022, but has not received any updates since then.
Segambut PKR deputy chief Deric Teh hopes the government, especially the foreign ministry, will investigate both cases.
“PKR, along with the Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO), will do our best to bring Shirley’s son back,” he said.
“In Tan’s case, we hope her son will read the news reports and contact his mother.”
MHO’s public relations officer, Daniel Khoo, cautioned young individuals against being lured by seemingly lucrative job offers online.
“Go to the foreign ministry and investigate the background of these companies and also ask your employers to secure for you a work permit,” he said.