Syndicate member threatened to harm Malaysians

KUCHING: For three weeks, they suffered under the syndicate that brought them to Cambodia.

They were threatened and had knives pointed at them. They lived in fear for their lives.

This is what the 47 Malaysians who were detained at Banteay Meanchey prison had to go through in Poipet after one of them tried to escape from one of the two houses in which they were kept, under lock and key, with the windows barred and covered.

They were not allowed to communicate with anyone, not even among each other.

Sources said the escape attempt was foiled by one of the syndicate members, who then threatened harm against anyone attempting to flee.

“They were there on the promise of high-paying jobs.

“Instead, they were kept imprisoned in the two houses and threatened.

“They feared for their lives, right up to the point when Banteay Meanchey police raided the houses (on Dec 11).

“They were basically saved by the police.”

The 47 Malaysians — 40 from Sarawak, three each from Sabah and Selangor and one from Kuala Lumpur — were arrested on suspicion of being involved in illegal online gaming.

However, their arrest was only made known to the Malaysian embassy in Phnom Penh 17 days later.

Since then, it has been reported that they had gone to Cambodia after being promised legitimate, high-paying jobs by a recruitment agency that is believed to have been a front for a human trafficking syndicate.

The source said though the Malaysians were relieved to be freed from the clutches of the syndicate, the two months they spent at the Banteay Meanchey Prison had caused them to lose spirit.

Their hopes, however, have been lifted by visits from representatives of the Sarawak government, several other individuals and some family members over the past few days.

“We hope the effort to bring them home will bear fruit and that a legal team will ensure that justice is done.