NO LET-UP IN EFFORTS TO REPATRIATE JOB SCAM VICTIMS FROM MYANMAR - MOHAMAD

SEREMBAN, Dec 21 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government is constantly striving to repatriate its citizens who have fallen victim to job scams in Myanmar, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

He said to facilitate these efforts, the government had appointed former Foreign Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Othman Hashim as its Special Envoy to Myanmar to talk to various groups in that country.

Mohamad said apart from focusing on efforts to bring home Malaysians trapped as scam victims there, the discussions also addressed ways to end violence against the local population.

"The situation in Myanmar is very challenging. Previously, we could negotiate, but now there are too many warlord factions controlling provinces, and they are armed with significant weaponry.

"I cannot promise to save everyone; some have already died, and there are various other issues -- not just in Myanmar, but also in the Philippines and along the Golden Triangle border of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, which has become the largest drug-producing region. The proceeds fund these warlords, making the situation extremely difficult," he told reporters after opening the Tok Mat e-Sports Cup tournament in Senawang today.

He added that Myanmar has numerous problematic regions, each with its own strengths, which complicate the government's efforts to resolve these issues.

"Our approach is to negotiate with these factions to assess their ‘wish lists’, which will then be compiled and studied to determine how we can align these demands. What’s crucial is for Myanmar to return to being a peaceful country where its people can live harmoniously," he said.

He advised Malaysians to be wary of job offers with promises of high salaries advertised on social media, particularly in Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries.

"Recently, I asked a victim, a former university student, to show the permanent disabilities he suffered after being tortured by syndicates for failing to meet the tasks assigned to him," he said, expressing hope that this would serve as a lesson to everyone.

Mohamad expressed his gratitude for the strong ties within ASEAN, which consistently provides assistance despite the constraints some member states face.

"Thank you to neighbouring ASEAN countries for maintaining excellent relations. They help as much as they can, even though they sometimes face limitations and restrictions," he said.

Regarding the ASEAN Troika Informal Consultation and Extended Informal Consultation sessions in Bangkok yesterday, Mohamad said the discussions focused on addressing the issues in Myanmar, as the crisis there poses significant challenges for ASEAN.

"As a peaceful, neutral and free regional bloc, the internal issues in Myanmar inevitably affect ASEAN. It’s not about interfering in their domestic affairs, but the problems have crossed borders, including transnational crimes, gambling, scams and drug trafficking.

"Thus, ASEAN is negotiating, and as Malaysia will chair ASEAN next year, we are preparing early strategies on how to reduce these internal issues because we do not want them to disrupt the stability of Southeast Asia," he said.

-- BERNAMA