Suspect in Cambodia job scam case claims trial

Chang (left) pleaded not guilty in the Kuching Magistrate’s Court (March 13, 2019).

KUCHING, March 13: A suspect in the Cambodia job scam case pleaded not guilty in the Magistrate’s Court here today.

Chang Ying Shiong, 25, who was not represented, was released on a RM10,000 bail in two local sureties after he was charged under Section 417 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum of five-year prison sentence or with fine or with both.

Magistrate Faelly Jeffery Lanjungan fixed March 25 for pre-case management.

Chang was one of three suspects arrested in the scam that lured 47 Malaysians — 40 of them Sarawakians — to Cambodia with lucrative-paying job offers, but they eventually ended up in the Banteay Meanchey Provincial Prison for 65 days.

The other two suspects are Lai King Long, 31, and Mohd Ghafar Abdul Jamal, 26.

Both Chang and Lai were among the 47 who were jailed in Cambodia, but they are now suspects in the case.

Police recently revealed that based on evidence gathered so far, they have established that not all of the 40 Sarawakians involved were genuine victims.

Some of them had entered Cambodia several times doing the “same kind of job” before they were arrested by local police on Dec 11 last year.

The 47 Malaysians flew back to Malaysia on Feb 17 after they were released by the Cambodian government.

The 40 Sarawakians and three Sabahans were brought back on a chartered flight paid for by the Sarawak government after successful discussions between the two countries. — DayakDaily