Malaysia brings home 121 suspected victims of job scams trapped in Myanmar conflict
The group arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport through a specially arranged flight from Kunming, China. PHOTO: REUTERS
UPDATED 1 HOUR AGO
KUALA LUMPUR – A total of 121 people, mostly Malaysians suspected of being victims of job scams, were evacuated from Myanmar on Dec 1 after being stranded by fighting between the military and rebel groups in the country’s north, Malaysia’s foreign ministry said.
The group, which included an Indonesian national, arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 3.24am local time (1924 GMT) through a specially arranged flight from Kunming, China, the ministry said in a statement.
The evacuation mission was carried out through the Myanmar-China border starting on Nov 30 morning with the cooperation and approval of the countries involved, the ministry said.
The mission came amid continuous fighting in northern Myanmar after an alliance of armed ethnic groups launched an offensive in late October. The groups have seized control of several towns and military outposts near the country’s border with China, disrupting trade.
Malaysia’s deputy foreign minister Mohamad Alamin said the rescued group were among 128 people stranded in Laukkaing, a town in Myanmar’s northern Shan state, state news agency Bernama reported on Dec 1.
Malaysia’s government will monitor developments and is ready to evacuate the remaining seven people who were unable to be rescued, Bernama quoted Mr Mohamad as saying.
Hundreds of Malaysians have been rescued from cybercrime and job scam networks across South-east Asia in recent years.
Victims of the rackets say they are lured by promises of high-paying jobs and accommodation benefits, but are often instead forced to live in compounds and defraud online users.
马中合作救缅北诈骗受害者 121大马人顺利回国
2023年12月1日 12:20 亞視新聞
马来西亚外交部和中方合作,协助121名被骗到缅甸从事诈骗活动的大马受骗者回国,全程共花费50万令吉。
外交部副部长莫哈末阿拉敏星期五(12月1日)凌晨5时30分在吉隆坡国际机场召开记者会说,121名大马公民,其中80%是华裔人士;外交部原本安排128名受困缅甸北部掸邦老街(Laukkaing)的大马人回马,但其中7人因各种问题而暂时无法回国。
据了解,7人当中1人是被中国通缉者,如今已被当地执法单位扣留而无法回国。
他感谢中方给予配合,让滞留缅北的大马国人入境中国南伞边境后,再乘搭巴士前往临近机场,再转机飞往昆明,最终乘搭亚航航班回马。
大马政府共花费50万令吉
副首相外交事务官兼马青宣传局主任梁子祥告诉记者,整个过程耗费约50万令吉。大马公民入境中国南伞边界后,每个人都进行身体检验,之后乘搭巴士到临近机场,并转机到中国昆明机场后,再乘搭飞机飞返大马,这些费用由政府支付。
他指出,这是外交部将最后一批滞留缅北的国人带返大马。梁子祥表示,对于目前仍滞留在缅甸的大马公民人数,该部无法掌握真正数据。
“目前不知道有多少大马人还在缅甸,因为外交部是接获从那些逃出来的国人求救后,我们才进行营救行动。”
他说,这次回马的121人,分别是107男14女,分别来自砂拉越(54人)、霹雳(22人)、吉隆坡(10人)、槟城(8人)、彭亨及柔佛各7人、森州及雪州各4人、柔佛(2人),以及吉打、吉兰单和马六甲(各1人)。
他指出,副首相兼种植及原产业部长法迪拉将上月初官访中国北京和上海时,曾会见中方提及如何营救滞留缅北的大马国人事宜,而中方给予高度配合和协助,因此大马政府得以将国人带回国。
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