KUCHING: Lack of job opportunities was not why 40 Sarawakians were duped into going to Cambodia.
They were fooled by the recruitment syndicate’s fraudulent offer of high-paying jobs with a monthly salary of between RM6,000 and RM8,000.
Santubong member of parliament Datuk Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said most of them had full-time jobs with stable incomes before they went to Cambodia.
“They got attracted (cheated) believing they can earn US$1,500 to US$2,000 per month in the hotel and electronic industries there,” he said.
Wan Junaidi was responding to a statement by Malaysian Trades Union Congress Sarawak secretary Andrew Lo who slammed the state government for failing to create jobs.
“So, it’s unfair to say there aren’t (job) opportunities in Sarawak,” said Wan Junaidi.
The Santubong member of parliament was in the delegation led by state Community Welfare, Women, Children and Family Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah to Cambodia last week that secured the release of 47 Malaysians, including 40 Sarawakians.
They had been confined to a private residence and forced to work as scammers before they were arrested by Cambodian police on Dec 11.