“We ensure that all Indonesian citizens who are victims or involved in this case are safe,” said Minister for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers Mukhtarudin in a press statement here on Tuesday.
The latest data shows that 97 Indonesian citizens have fled companies suspected of running online fraud operations. Another 13 Indonesians were successfully rescued from their workplaces in Chrey Thum.
Previously, 99 Indonesians were evacuated to the local police station, and 11 were hospitalized. Currently, 110 citizens are being held at the Phnom Penh Immigration Detention Center for data collection and examination by local authorities.
“The Indonesian government, through the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh and KP2MI, is working intensively with Cambodian authorities to ensure protection, legal assistance, and a humane and orderly repatriation process,” Mukhtarudin said.
A preliminary assessment revealed that among the 11 Indonesians who reported experiencing violence, four acted as ringleaders in the scam and are suspected of perpetrating violence against fellow workers. The case is being handled by Cambodian police.
Initial data indicates that the 91 Indonesians came from Medan, North Sumatra; Manado, North Sulawesi; Pontianak, West Kalimantan; and Batam, with their length of stay in Cambodia ranging from two years to two months.
KP2MI has dispatched a team to Cambodia to coordinate with the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh and meet with local authorities to verify the condition of all affected Indonesians.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh, and KP2MI are jointly collecting and verifying personal data and information on the companies involved, while preparing repatriation steps after the legal process is completed.
KP2MI also urged all ministries, institutions, and local governments to strengthen prevention efforts to stop Indonesians from being lured into online fraud schemes in Cambodia and Myanmar through education, supervision, and law enforcement.
“We also remind the public not to be easily tempted by overseas job offers that do not follow official procedures. The government will enhance cooperation across ministries and law enforcement agencies to dismantle illegal fraud networks involving Indonesian citizens,” Mukhtarudin said.
He emphasized that KP2MI will continue to monitor the case and provide regular updates to the public based on official information from the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh and Cambodian authorities.
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Translator: Katriana
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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