PETALING JAYA: A man promised RM18,000 in cryptocurrency to work for four days in Hong Kong has ended up trafficked by a syndicate into Myanmar.
Speaking at a joint press conference with the Federal Territory PKR Complaints and Legal Bureau and Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO), the victim's brother Choo Wei Mun said his brother had initially told the family that he will be going to Johor to work for a week.
"I last saw my brother on Dec 13 before I went to work. I was later informed by his girlfriend that he is going to Bangkok, Thailand to work and that he is currently in danger.
"I had tried to contact him and ascertain his location but to no avail. He has been uncontactable ever since," he said.
Choo later checked his brother's iPad and found a WhatsApp group conversation of his brother seeking money to pay for his release from a syndicate in Myanmar.
"I found in a WhatsApp group conversation that my brother had requested from his friends an amount of USDT 31,000 in cryptocurrency or RM140,000 for him to pay to the syndicate should he want to return back to Malaysia."
Choo also learned through the WhatsApp group conversation that his brother was supposed to fly to Hong Kong via Bangkok before he was trafficked into Myanmar along with three other alleged victims. His task was to open an account there.
"My brother was told that he would be paid USDT4,000 (RM18,000) for him to go to Hong Kong to open a bank or investment account there.
"I also found through the conversation that he was smuggled into Myanmar via Thailand through a river bordering the countries," he said.
Meanwhile, MHO public relations officer Daniel Khoo said the MHO will work on finding the best way to bring Choo's brother home.
"We shall work together to find the best and safest solution to bring him back.
"We will discuss with authorities and non-governmental organisations in Myanmar for his safe return to the country."
He also called on the authorities to provide legal awareness on the repercussions of being recruited by job scam syndicates.
"We hope the authorities will provide legal awareness on the repercussions of joining job scam syndicates.
"These victims, upon being rescued are brought home and returned to their respective families are not given awareness on the legal aspect of their actions. This will lead to future occurrences of such cases," he said.