47 DETAINEES TO RETURN HOME TODAY
DPM says they are expected to arrive at 10.30am
THE 47 Malaysians detained in Cambodia since December are expected to fly home today. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said she had contacted Julau member of parliament Larry Sng and Wisma Putra, and was told that efforts were underway to bring them home.
“Of course, we want to bring them home as soon as possible and we are doing our best to bring them home. They are expected to arrive at 10.30am tomorrow (today),” she said.
The decision to free them was made by the Cambodian government following negotiations with the Malaysian government coordinated by Wisma Putra.
The 47 people, who included a number of women, were arrested over their alleged involvement in an online gaming syndicate.
They were released from Banteay Meanchey prison on Friday after being held for more than two months without trial.
They were arrested by Banteay Meanchey district police in Poipet on Dec 11 following a raid on two three-storey houses.
The Malaysian embassy in Phnom Penh was informed of the arrests 17 days later. Embassy officials were given access to the detainees at the prison.
They learnt that the Malaysians — 40 from Sarawak, three each from Sabah and Selangor, and one from Kuala Lumpur — had gone to Cambodia after being promised high-paying jobs for three months.
The offers were made by a recruitment agency, which is believed to be a front for a human trafficking syndicate.
Meanwhile, the detainees were a picture of happiness as they prepared to return home.
All 47 of them, aged 19 to 44, were released at 6.30pm on Friday and stayed at a hotel in the district while waiting for Foreign Ministry officials to finalise their documentation.
It is learnt that once the documentation process is completed, they would return home on a commercial aircraft.
“Hopefully, they can leave for home as soon as possible. They are high spirited and cheerful. They can’t wait to meet their families.”