KUCHING: The Sarawak Patriot Association (SPA) has expressed concern over the detention of the 44 Sarawakians in Cambodia and is appealing to the federal and Sarawak authorities to negotiate for their quick release.
Its chairman, Datuk John Lau, said SPA had received pleas for assistance from a few of their parents, some of whom had questioned the recruitment methods of the hiring agency which approached youths from poor families with purported jobs in Cambodia.
“We believe that the 44 Sarawakians who are within the age of 18 to 20 years old may have paid money to the recruitment agency to find high- paying jobs in that country.
“We also believe that they might have been forced into illegal activities in Cambodia which they were not aware of, he said in a statement here yesterday.
Lau said SPA’s legal team would be writing to the Cambodian Embassy to “implore them to understand the actual situation rather than detain them without trial”.
“We would advise people to be wary of the presence of overseas syndicates which may be targeting people from lower income families to entice them with an opportunity to earn high salaries overseas.
“They should first check with relevant authorities before agreeing to accept jobs overseas.”
