DPR Urges Government To Take Firm Action After 97 Indonesian Citizens Become Online Scam Victims In Cambodia

Illustration of illegal workers (ANTARA)

JAKARTA Member of Commission I DPR RI, By Soleh, urged the Indonesian government to act decisively and seriously in handling the case of Indonesian citizens (WNI) in Cambodia who were victims of fraud and exploitation at online scam companies or online fraud.

This pressure was conveyed following a riot incident involving 97 Indonesian citizens in Cambodia. They are suspected of trying to escape from the online scam company where they worked after becoming victims of fraud.

Many of them were initially promised decent jobs, but turned out to be forced workers in cross-border online fraud activities.

"I urge the government to seriously resolve this issue. The case of Indonesian citizens who are victims of TIP in Cambodia is nothing new. Officials must dismantle and arrest the network of sending online scam workers in Cambodia," said Soleh, Friday, October 24.

According to him, work involving online scam activities clearly violates the law and harms many parties, both in Indonesia and in other countries. Therefore, the government is asked to immediately strengthen preventive measures so that no more Indonesian citizens are dispatched to work in Cambodia illegally.

"The government must ensure that no more Indonesian citizens are sent to work in Cambodia, especially in the field of online fraud. The Indonesian government also does not have an official cooperation agreement to send migrant workers to the Cambodian government. So, all recruitment there is clearly illegal and high risk," he said.

By Soleh, he also asked the relevant ministries and institutions, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Manpower, and the Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI), to strengthen coordination in handling and repatriating victims.

He assessed that the steps to protect and educate prospective migrant workers must be strengthened so that people do not easily tempted by work offers abroad without official channels.

"The government must be present and protect its citizens. Do not let similar cases continue to repeat themselves because of weak supervision and lack of information to the public," concluded Soleh.