Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia, serving as this year's ASEAN Chair, is focusing on addressing the issue of job scam syndicates that operate across Southeast Asia, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin. These efforts were recently highlighted during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Langkawi.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohamad emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation among ASEAN countries to counteract these syndicates, utilizing the ASEAN police organization (ASEANAPOL) as a key tool. "This issue will remain a key focus throughout Malaysia's ASEAN chairmanship. It will be discussed, and we will seek the best possible solutions to effectively combat job scams and fraud syndicates in the region," he stated. The issue has been previously addressed in meetings held in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, and Vientiane, Laos, and will continue to be a significant agenda item this year.

In response to a supplementary question from Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin) in the Dewan Rakyat, Mohamad cited an example of regional cooperation, noting that Myanmar's authorities had handed over 320 foreign nationals, including Malaysians, involved in such syndicates. These individuals have been placed in Thailand under the National Referral Mechanism to verify their identities and assess their involvement.

Mohamad concluded by stating that once the verification process is complete, all victims will be repatriated to their respective countries, underscoring the collaborative efforts within ASEAN to address this critical issue.