JAKARTA - The Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Cambodia, Santo Darmosumarto, appreciates the Phnom Penh Police for their support in handling Indonesian citizens (WNI) who have left online fraud centers (scam centers).
More than 2,000 Indonesian citizens came to report to the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh after fleeing the scam center, along with the enforcement of the law that was intensified by the local authorities since mid-month.
In order to strengthen coordination in security and handling of Indonesian citizens, the Ambassador Santo held a meeting with the Deputy National Police Chief of Cambodia and also the Head of the Phnom Penh Police, Lieutenant General Chuon Narin on Monday.
The Indonesian Ambassador expressed his appreciation for the support of the Cambodian Government, including the provision of temporary shelter locations and increased security in the vicinity of the Indonesian Embassy and the location of the Indonesian WNI shelter, the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh said in a statement, Tuesday (27/1).
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Chuon Narin expressed the hope that all Indonesian citizens who have just left the online fraud syndicate network can immediately return to Indonesia.
He emphasized that the Phnom Penh Police would continue to monitor the security conditions of Indonesian citizens, as well as convey concerns about the potential risk of infectious diseases as the number of Indonesian citizens in the shelter increases.
Regarding this, coordination will be carried out with related agencies as preventive measures.
The Phnom Penh Police will also do special things so that the arrival of foreign nationals to Phnom Penh, after leaving the online fraud centers in various areas, does not disrupt public order in the capital.
After the meeting, the Indonesian Ambassador was invited to meet with 19 Indonesian citizens who were being sheltered by the Phnom Penh Police. Among them, those who have passports have bought tickets to immediately return to Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the others will be facilitated in making temporary travel documents so that they can follow up with their colleagues.
As previously reported, the Ambassador of Santo said that Cambodian authorities were intensifying efforts to combat online scams in the country, along with increasing efforts to eradicate them in recent years.
"Recently, there have been arrests of several masterminds and main managers of scam centers," said Ambassador Santo in an online press statement last week.
With the arrest, many scam centers closed down their operations and foreign nationals working at these places were allowed to leave.
"Many are looking for a mechanism to return to their country, including Indonesian citizens," explained Ambassador Santo, regarding the surge in Indonesian citizens who came to report to the Indonesian Embassy in Jakarta.
"This is massive, not just Indonesia. There are (workers from scam centers) from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Myanmar, Pakistan, India, even from Japan, South Korea, to unpredictable countries like Turkey," he said.
The ambassador said that this scam center is located in Phnom Penh, around Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Kampot to Mondulkiri which is closer to Vietnam.
The Ambassador of Santo confirmed that the surge in Indonesian citizens who reported this was not a new recruit, even some of them had repeatedly come to Cambodia.
"This is not because of new recruits, but those who have been there, they were raided in terms of it. That's why there are many. Some are only a month in Cambodia, some have been there for three months, some for a year, two years, three years. Some have just come to Cambodia, some have come twice and this morning, some have come to Cambodia three times," said the Indonesian Ambassador.
In his statement, the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh revealed that from January 16 to January 26 at 23:00 local time, the number of Indonesian citizens who reported to the police reached 2,493 people.
For comparison, the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh said that throughout last year, it handled 5,006 cases of Indonesian citizens.
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