A 25-year-old Malaysian man is believed to have been trapped at a scam centre in Myanmar for six months after accepting what he thought was a well-paying job overseas.
The man, identified only as Cheng, was allegedly forced to work long hours and subjected to physical abuse. His family was also reportedly asked to pay US$40,000 to secure his release, The Star reported.
Cheng, who previously worked in Singapore, met a man at a car show in Penang. The two bonded over their shared interest in cars, according to Oriental Daily.
The man later offered Cheng a desk-based customer service job overseas, promising a good salary. Hoping to secure stable employment and drawing on his previous experience in Singapore’s service sector, Cheng accepted the offer.
However, he allegedly discovered that the job was not what he had expected after arriving in Myanmar to sign the employment contract.
Daniel Khoo, chairman of the Malaysian Community Crime Care Centre’s Pahang branch, said the contract included a clause requiring Cheng to pay US$40,000 if he wanted to leave the job early.
Unable to afford the penalty, Cheng was allegedly forced to remain at the centre, where he endured long working hours and physical abuse.
He is believed to have been held at a scam centre in a jungle area near the Thai-Myanmar border since April. His personal phone was also allegedly confiscated, leaving him unable to contact his family directly.
According to Oriental Daily, Cheng managed to use a phone at his workplace in July to contact a friend for help before reaching his family through Instagram.
His family reportedly received a video showing people using multiple mobile phones and men being beaten. Khoo described the footage as “graphic”.
Cheng’s older brother lodged a police report in Johor Bahru on July 31 after the family received messages concerning him.
Oriental Daily reported that the family last contacted Cheng through WeChat on July 18 and later learnt that he had left Malaysia on April 17.
A Malaysian police official confirmed to The Star that a report had been lodged and investigations were ongoing.
A female relative said the family had also contacted the Malaysian embassy for assistance but remained uncertain about Cheng’s whereabouts and condition.
