Malaysians lured by job scams on social media left stranded abroad

Malaysians falling victim to job scams and becoming stranded in foreign countries can often be traced back to social media advertisements promising attractive salaries and benefits, according to Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. These individuals are easily manipulated by the false promises, leading to their families filing missing person reports or seeking assistance in locating them abroad.

“The root cause is the tendency to be easily manipulated into believing the social media campaigns where they are offered lucrative income, comfortable accommodation, paid plane fares and all kinds of things when working abroad,” Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stated.

He mentioned that when these individuals arrive in the destination country, they often find that the promises made were not fulfilled. Some are able to contact the police for help, while others remain stranded.

A recent case involves Chong Sum Yee, 22, a Malaysian woman believed to be missing in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Her mother, Chee Choy Won, 50, does not believe the viral videos of her daughter claiming she is safe and healthy, as they were uploaded on a new Facebook account under the name of ‘Moe Aye’. Saifuddin Nasution said the woman’s disappearance has been left to the police to investigate, and so far, he has not received any updates on the case.

In other news, Saifuddin, who is also the Kedah Development Committee chairman, visited the project site where a bridge in Kampung Sungai Ular area near Kulim would be relocated. He stated that the RM9.3 million (US$2.25 million) project, expected to be completed in October 2024, would help reduce traffic congestion and improve traffic flow in the area.