Malaysian woman trafficked to Cambodian scam compound after employer falsely claimed firm moving to China

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: A Malaysian Chinese woman who worked at a logistics company in Port Klang, Selangor, has been trafficked to Cambodia after being deceived by her Chinese employer’s claim that the company was “relocating to China.”

The 33-year-old woman from Sarawak, whose name is being withheld for safety reasons, believed she was travelling to China for work.

However, she was forcibly diverted during a transit stop in Cambodia and sold to a local scam compound.

Her 30-year-old sister said the victim had worked for a year at the logistics firm, which was managed by Chinese nationals, before agreeing to accompany her employer overseas on 1 September.

“She called me secretly on 10 September, crying for help. She said she had been sold to a scam compound in Cambodia and was being tortured with electric shock batons,” her sister revealed at a press conference held at the Malaysian Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

“She told me she was forced to commit online scams every day and that she feared for her life. We have no idea whether any other employees were tricked as well.”

MHO pledges urgent intervention

MHO Secretary-General Hishamuddin Hashim, who led the press conference, said the organisation has already initiated contact with the Malaysian Embassy in Phnom Penh to coordinate the woman’s rescue.

“We are working urgently with diplomatic channels to locate her and bring her home safely,” he said. “She is in extreme distress and facing constant physical abuse.”

Hishamuddin added that MHO is also assisting families of two other Malaysian victims who were similarly trafficked under false job offers.

Second and third victims also trafficked to Cambodia and Myanmar

One of the other victims, Man, 26, from Kuala Lumpur, was previously a food delivery rider. He was promised employment in Singapore but was instead trafficked to Cambodia on 2 June.

His sister, Norsamsiyah Samsuri, 30, said Man managed to contact her on 28 September, describing severe beatings and electric shocks inflicted by his captors.

“He told me he was stepped on and beaten daily. He begged me to report his situation to the authorities,” she said.

Man is believed to be detained in a Phnom Penh hotel repurposed by the syndicate as a scam base.

A third victim, Chung, 24, was lured by a supposed friend who promised a high-paying job in Thailand.

Her mother, Chung Soon Kiew, 55, said her daughter was offered US$5,000 a month but was instead trafficked into Myanmar’s Myawaddy region through illegal border crossings.

“My daughter told me she is tortured for not meeting work targets and has been denied medical treatment for severe stomach pain,” the mother said.

“She is forced to work long hours and has developed bedsores.”

Families call for stronger cross-border action

The families of all three victims have lodged police reports and urged the Malaysian government to intensify cooperation with regional authorities to combat transnational job scam syndicates.

They also called for public awareness campaigns to prevent more Malaysians from falling prey to deceitful job offers abroad.

Hishamuddin reaffirmed that MHO will continue working with the embassies in Cambodia and Thailand, alongside regional enforcement agencies, to secure the victims’ release.

“Our priority is to ensure their safe return,” he stated.

“These cases show how job scams have evolved into a serious cross-border human trafficking crisis.”