KUCHING, April 21: Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, who managed to help facilitate the return of a Sarawakian who had fallen victim to a human trafficking ring warned all Sarawakians that “when something is too good, it is probably fake”.
Tiong, who had travelled to Thailand to assist in the case, said the woman from Bintulu was lured by an overseas job which had claimed to have high pay, which she hoped may help improve her family’s economic situation.
“She thought she will be working in Kuala Lumpur. But while in Kuala Lumpur, she was told that she would be arranged to be working in Thailand.
“When she was boarding the flight, she noticed that she was heading to Cambodia instead of Thailand. She was staying in Cambodia for several months when she learned that the syndicate was planning to send her back to Thailand again using some smuggling trails where she would later be trafficked into Myanmar.
“She tried to escape and she did and finally landed herself in Thailand where she sought help,” said Tiong in a social media post.
Tiong, who is also Dudong assemblyman, said the family of the victim had reached out to him directly. Upon being notified of the case, Tiong flew to Thailand the next day.
Tiong extended his gratitude to all those who were involved in making the rescue a success. They included the Malaysia Embassy in Thailand, the Immigration Department, the Army and the police as well as other units and agencies of both countries.
Currently, the victim had safely reached Kuala Lumpur and will be arranged to return to Bintulu soon.
“There is no free lunch. Something that is too good to be true is probably fake. While trying to make a better living or getting a higher source of income, be more discerning and alert especially when seeking jobs through advertisements.
“There are many offering high paying jobs overseas and many a times, these are traps set by syndicates. When applying for high paying overseas jobs, do it through the proper channels. Most importantly, do a thorough check on the background of the companies first,” cautioned Tiong, who is also the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to China.
He stressed that not everyone can be as fortunate as this victim who managed to escape.
The less fortunate ones may pay for their mistakes with their lives, Tiong warned. — DayakDaily
