A 26-year-old Malaysian man who was held captive by a scam syndicate in Myanmar for more than a year says his rescue by authorities last month is the greatest New Year gift he and his family could have hoped for.
The man, who only wished to be identified as Chew, said what was meant to be a short business trip last year turned into a prolonged ordeal of abduction, abuse, and forced labour at a scam centre in Myawaddy, a town along the Myanmar-Thailand border.
Speaking to the media in Johor Bahru, Chew said he was lured by a Facebook advertisement offering business opportunities involving competitively priced goods supplied through a warehouse in Myanmar.
Eager to start his own business after years of working in Singapore, Chew arranged and paid for his own flight, departing from Changi International Airport on Oct 3 last year. However, after transiting in Bangkok, he was picked up by a Thai man believed to be linked to the syndicate and told that the journey would continue overland to Myanmar.
Chew said he was forcibly abducted while travelling through a village in Tak province and later taken across the border to a guarded two-storey shophouse in Myawaddy, where he was confined with about 60 other Malaysians.
During his captivity, Chew said he was forced to work as a scam caller targeting victims in Hong Kong, communicating in Cantonese. Those who failed to meet daily targets were punished with physical abuse, electric shocks, starvation, or confinement.
“For the first month, I was forced to find up to 30 victims a day through fake sales and romance scams,” he said, adding that the conditions were harsh and inhumane.
After nearly a year, Chew said the syndicate decided to sell his group to another scam operation due to poor performance. However, the group was rescued on Dec 19 after Myanmar authorities intercepted the vehicle transporting them during a raid.
The victims were later handed over to Thai authorities and repatriated to Malaysia through the Bukit Kayu Hitam Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex in Kedah on Dec 20.
Chew was accompanied at the press conference by Stulang assemblyman Andrew Chen Kah Eng, who said he took up the case after Chew’s family sought help following his disappearance.
Chen urged Malaysians to exercise caution when travelling abroad for business or employment, advising them to discuss travel plans with family members and avoid travelling alone to unfamiliar countries.
Hundreds of Malaysians have reportedly fallen victim to foreign job scam syndicates operating in Myanmar. The Foreign Ministry has reiterated its commitment to protecting Malaysians overseas and providing consular assistance through its diplomatic missions when needed.
