About 3,000 captive M’sians forced to work for Myanmar call centre

GEORGE TOWN – Some 3,000 Malaysians are allegedly working for an illegal call centre in Myanmar after apparently falling for a scam.

This was revealed by a fellow Malaysian who was released by the syndicate operating the centre after his family paid a RM60,000 ransom.

The victim, who wants to be known as Ng, revealed details of his ordeal to the media at Penang MCA’s public complaints bureau here in a bid to warn others of the various job scams.

He alleged that up to 3,000 Malaysians are being held against their will by the syndicate and forced to work at the centre and its human resources department, purportedly to dupe others via online scams.

Flanked by bureau chairman Ooi Teik Liang and his deputy Francis Goh Eng Eam, Ng recounted his ordeal which began last March.

Ng, who is an electrician, was left jobless when the Covid-19 lockdowns hit and was introduced to the “scam” thanks to information posted on Facebook. The “recruitment ad” promises a monthly salary of between RM7,000 and RM10,000.

He said he took a flight from KLIA to Yangon, Myanmar before his group was ushered into a bus and brought to an undisclosed township in the city’s Golden Triangle. The area earned its notoriety in the 1970s as one of the top places for narcotics production.

He added that he was tasked to file paperwork at the human resources department as he was not skilled enough with the computer.

He worked daily from 5pm until 7am and was constantly under watch by guards hired by the syndicate.

“If we defy the burly guards, they will beat us up with steel rods,” Ng claimed.

The workers were allowed out to the township and nearby food outlets, but remained under close watch, he added.

Ng said personal mobile phones were confiscated and they were given different ones with restricted access, and that is why he could not log into his social media accounts or make calls to his family in Penang.

“Majority of us were duped by the promise of high salaries but when we got there, we realised something is not right. I tried to fight back but ended up getting beaten and marked as a troublemaker.”

He claimed that he was paid a total of RM2,300 before his family secured his release last month – something they achieved through loans.

Meanwhile, Ooi urged the Foreign Ministry to help secure the freedom of the Malaysians stuck working in slave-like conditions in Myanmar.

Separately, Penang PKR vice-chairman Jason Ong Khan Lee said such serious allegations warrant an investigation as more must be done to prevent Malaysians from being duped online.

He also urged the immigration authorities to be more vigilant when screening Malaysians travelling overseas. – The Vibes, June 4, 2022