110 Indonesian Citizens Become Online Scam Victims In Cambodia, Puan: The State Must Make Sure Its Citizens Get Access To Human Work

Chairman of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani/ANTARA/Fath Putra Mulya.

JAKARTA - The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, is concerned about the case of 110 Indonesian citizens (WNI) who are victims of online scams in Cambodia. He hopes that there will be an evaluation in the migrant occupation sector so that incidents like that do not happen again.

"This case is a serious warning to all of us that the economic needs and narrow opportunities for safe work in the country often force our citizens to take a high risk of going to work abroad," said Puan in her statement, Thursday, October 30.

"The state must be present to ensure that every citizen has access to a humane and protected job, wherever they work," he continued.

Puan emphasized that the protection of Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) must start from the pre-departure stage. It is good to start by ensuring that prospective workers get correct information, proper training, to verified placement.

"The government, through the Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and related agencies, needs to strengthen coordination so that no more residents leave without an official placement permit," explained Puan.

Puan also emphasized the importance of technical supervision in the field on the mobility of non-procedural workers. Puan encourages an early warning system for Indonesian migrant workers who involve cooperation between institutions.

Puan also said that there must be collaboration from the Directorate General of Immigration, airport officials, to airlines to monitor suspicious trips to high-risk countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos, which are known to be centers of online fraud and forced labor.

The surge in flights to countries that do not have official relations for the placement of migrant workers must also be a concern. The government needs to build an early detection mechanism at the departure point so that no more citizens depart without national protection," he said.

Puan also supports the evacuation steps taken by the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh and KP2MI for PMI who are victims of online scams in Cambodia. Even so, he reminded that this action does not stop only up to rescue efforts.

"The government needs to ensure physical, mental, and social recovery for victims once they arrive in Indonesia, as well as open access to job training and local economic empowerment programs," said Puan.

We must not allow them to return to the same situation without direction. The government must come with a real solution: training programs, capital access, and domestic work placement that ensure their welfare," he added.

A total of 110 Indonesian citizens who were victims of online scams in Cambodia fled from an online scam company in Chrey Thum City, Kandal Province, Cambodia, and were involved in riots.

The Ministry of Protection for Indonesian Migrant Workers (KP2MI) said that currently all 110 Indonesian citizens have been at the Phnom Penh immigration detention house for the data collection and inspection process by local authorities.

The Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) for Cambodia revealed that the riots occurred because 97 Indonesian citizens wanted to escape from the online fraud company where they worked.

Meanwhile, the Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Judha Nugraha said the incident caused 86 Indonesian citizens to be detained by the local police. While the other 11 had to be hospitalized because they were injured.

From the local police investigation, four Indonesian citizens were further prosecuted for allegedly committing violence during the demonstration.