THE cabinet yesterday agreed to establish a special committee to handle job scam cases involving Malaysians.

Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah in a statement today said he will chair the committee, which will comprise representatives from various government agencies.

“I have also instructed the ministry secretary-general to hold a meeting with the relevant agencies today,” he said.

Saifuddin, who is currently in New York in conjunction with the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, expressed his appreciation to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad (Special Functions) and the cabinet for reviewing and discussing the issue.

Latiff is acting as foreign minister in Saifuddin’s absence.

On Monday, Saifuddin chaired a virtual meeting with Malaysian ambassadors and chargé d’affaires in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

“We also agreed to hold regular meetings with Bukit Aman’s top management and increase media coverage on this issue,” he said.

He added that the government via the Foreign Ministry as well as Malaysian diplomatic missions abroad remain committed in strengthening efforts to rescue the victims and bring them home safely.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry, in a separate statement last night, said 15 more Malaysians who had fallen victims to job scam syndicates were successfully rescued and brought home on Tuesday.

They arrived at klia2 via flight AK 535 from Phnom Penh at 11.50pm.

As of yesterday, he said the ministry had so far received reports on 301 such cases in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.

“Out of that number, a total of 168 victims have been rescued and returned home,” he said.

In addition, 34 victims are being held at the immigration depot, while authorities of the countries are still tracking the remaining 99, said the ministry. – Bernama, September 22, 2022.