SEPANG – Two employment agencies in the country are suspected of masterminding recruitment of Malaysian citizens to be fraudulently sent as workers under a foreign employment syndicate.
However, the company’s tactics were exposed following the arrests of several individuals by the police last month.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Abd Jalil Hassan said the company is a licensed employment agency that carries out activities to bring foreign workers to the country in various sectors.
However, he added, the company hides behind its status as a legitimate employment agency to lure victims, before sending them abroad to work with the syndicates.
“The two companies are now being investigated by the anti-trafficking in persons and anti-smuggling of migrants unit (Atipsom) to see why they are willing to recruit workers to be sent abroad, to the point that the victims are stranded.
“It is still under police investigation, however. They are a legitimate employment agency and recruit foreigners to work in Malaysia as domestic helpers and farm labourers. They have a licence but take advantage of Malaysian exports,” he said.
Abdul Jalil mentioned this at a press conference today to disclose the success of bringing home five locals who were deceived by a job fraud syndicate in Thailand.
He said that there are various employment fraud syndicates that actively recruit citizens of this country to be sent to work abroad, but the main focus of the police is to identify the real masterminds of these criminal groups.
“There are various syndicates, but we are looking for masterminds. I believe the syndicates exist in Malaysia and Thailand. They cooperate with each other,” said Abdul Jalil, as reported by Getaran, the Malay-language sister portal of The Vibes.
Commenting on the recruitment tactics used by the syndicates, Abd Jalil said that most of the victims were deceived by lucrative offers of up to US$2,000 (RM9,600) pay.
“However, it should be a question mark when overseas companies are willing to pay individuals without approval and without experience, with an amount of up to US$2,000.
“So things like these need to be thought of up to ten times even if it (recruitment) is operated by a legitimate employment agency company. But we still have to be careful,” he said. – The Vibes, February 19, 2023
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