‘Number of S’wakians falling for job scams highest in country’
Statistics have shown that Sarawakians constitute the highest number of victims of job scams in the country, said Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sarawak Regional Office director Fenny Nuli.
Describing the situation as worrying, she said Sarawak leaders including Deputy Premiers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian have expressed concern over the ma er, as well as the willingness of the state government to work towards stopping such cases from happening.
In a report by the Information Department, Fenny said she had discussed the issue of job scams during a courtesy call on Yang diPertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar at the Astana yesterday.
“I also shared my experience when I was involved in helping to rescue 16 victims from Sarawak who were among 43 Malaysian victims of job fraud last year in Lima, Peru when I was Malaysian Ambassador there.
“I also informed Tun Pehin Sri that my office will work with several agencies in Sarawak to hold a public awareness programme about this syndicate, and that our office on the 14th floor of Bangunan Sultan Iskandar is always open to assist those with inquiries over job offers abroad,” she said.
She further mentioned that some 1,000 Malaysians are still stranded in Myanmar due to job scams.
During the meeting, Fenny said Wan Junaidi also expressed his concern and informed her that he joined the Malaysian delegation to rescue Sarawakian job scam victims in Cambodia when he was a Cabinet minister.
“Working abroad is not as sweet as people expect... Sarawak has a lot of job potential and we need to take advantage of those opportunities and choose jobs according to academic qualifications.
“We also need to remind people not to be deceived by big salary offers to work abroad but instead investigate the background (of those providing the offer).
“This kind of logic needs to be planted in the minds of young people because these victims are around the ages of 19 and 20. We don’t want this issue to worsen,” she added.
Fenny’s courtesy call on Wan Junaidi was also to inform the Head of State of the function and role of the Sarawak Regional
Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has been operating in the state since 2010.
She also said there are plans to hold awareness talks with university students such as in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) regarding international diplomacy issues, besides sharing experiences in the mission of rescuing victims of job fraud syndicates.