It appears that the Malaysians were arrested for online scamming, but claim they were lured to Cambodia by scammers offering lucrative jobs.

Wisma Putra confirms 47 Malaysians detained in Cambodia
By NST - February 7, 2019 @ 8:07pm

KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya has sent a diplomatic note to the Cambodian Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry to release the 47 Malaysians currently detained in Banteay Mancheay, some 400km from Phnom Penh.

The Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said the diplomatic note was sent by the Malaysian embassy in Cambodia.

Wisma Putra said the embassy in Phnom Penh was only informed by Banteay Mancheay police of the matter on Dec 28, more than two weeks after their arrests, on Dec 11.

“Following notification of the arrests, officers from the embassy in Phnom Penh made a consular visit to the detainees to ensure their wellbeing after receiving detailed information and approval from the local authorities. The visit revealed that most of the detainees were offered jobs with an attractive pay.

“Officers from the embassy (also) had a meeting with prison officials and the judge of this case,” the statement said.

The statement also said that Wisma Putra, via the Malaysian embassy in Phnom Penh, was closely monitoring the case and was prepared to render the necessary consular assistance.
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019 ... d-cambodia

That’s like saying “I didn’t know what was in the package” at customs.

Bring them home, plead families of Malaysians detained in Cambodia
By SHARON LING
1 day ago
KUCHING: The families of 47 young Malaysians believed to be detained in Cambodia are appealing to the authorities to bring them home.

Julau MP Larry Sng said the detainees, mostly Sarawakians from poor families, are victims of a human trafficking scam and are being held in a Cambodian provincial jail without trial.

“Most of them are young, aged around 18 to 20, and were promised high-paying jobs by the scammers in exchange for a few hundred US dollars.

“Upon their arrival in Cambodia, they were housed in a private home. After a few weeks, no jobs were forthcoming and they grew restless.

“Then the police came to arrest them for illegal online gaming, which they denied,” Sng told a press conference here on Thursday (Feb 7).

From the little information he has, he believes the Malaysians were held for a week in a lock-up before being transferred to a provincial jail on Dec 16.

“Some of their families have gone to Cambodia to find out where they are. They have not been brought before a court of law to be charged or remanded,” he said.

Sng said 44 of the 47 Malaysians are Sarawakians and about one-fourth of them are girls.

“We do not have the specific details but we understand they are from all parts of Sarawak. What we understand is that they were taken to Cambodia (in) staggered (journeys) by one company.

“But since they've been detained, the company has disappeared. The people involved are not picking up our phone calls so we don't have much information,” he said.

He added that the immediate priority is to enlist the assistance of Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry to obtain their release.

“I understand that Wisma Putra is looking into this matter and that the (Malaysian) embassy is aware of it.

“Members of the embassy have visited the detainees to check on their condition, but at this moment, that's as much information as we have.

“It seems they can be held up to three years without trial, so we are very concerned that they are not given due justice and also not given the opportunity to come back.

“We want to make sure that we secure their safety and welfare to bring them back,” Sng said, adding that he is working with the Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association and Sarawak Dayak Iban Association to take the matter up with the relevant authorities.

Zunita Sedini, whose 21-year-old son is among the victims, said she last heard from him about two weeks after he was believed to have been detained on Dec 11.

“I received a text from him on Dec 9, asking if I was well. After that, there was no contact from him for two weeks, so I started to get worried.

“Two weeks after Dec 11, he called me saying, ‘Mummy help us, we've been detained’. He was given only five minutes to talk.

“He said he was well but he was crying and I was also crying,” she said.

Zunita appealed to the authorities to help bring her son and the other victims back.

https://www.msn.com/en-my/news/national ... ar-BBThtqx

8 Feb, 2019
Please get us out of here, plead Sarawakians in Cambodian jail

KUCHING: “Mummy please don’t worry about me, I am okay here. There are friends looking after me here. I will go back, but please wait. Sorry mummy, I have made mummy worried. I work to earn an income for our family. Sorry mummy, for making mummy disappointed. I love u so much. Please look after your health mummy, I am okay here. I love u so much mummy. I am safe here. That’s all mummy”.

The above note was written by Brenda Welltinnie Winston in a 64-word message dated Jan 22 written on the Malaysian Embassy in Phnom Penh detention information form which was sighted by The Borneo Post. The 21-year-old was among the 47 Malaysians currently being held in a Cambodian provincial jail for alleged involvement in illegal online gambling.
http://www.theborneopost.com/2019/02/08 ... =hootsuite

UPDATE:
Cambodian Officials Set to Release 47 Detained Malaysians
By RFA -
February 9, 2019

Officials in Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province are making preparations to release 47 Malaysians who were detained on suspicion of running an illegal gambling operation there.

Provincial Director Um Siphan, in an interview with RFA’s Khmer Service, confirmed the group of 37 men and 10 women would be released soon, but could not specify an exact date.

“I don’t have details but they won’t be detained for a long time,” he said.

In full: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambod ... 43427.html

Larry Sng, families of detainees to leave for Cambodia Wednesday
Published 13 hours ago on 10 February 2019
KUCHING, Feb 10 — Julau MP Larry Sng Wei Shien is scheduled to leave for Cambodia this Wednesday with family members of the Malaysian detainees as well as the media to see the real situation on the ground.

Sng, in a statement today, said the Malaysian Embassy in Cambodia had successfully organised a visit by the delegation to the Banteay Meanchey prison.

“I have just been informed that the AirAsia will also participate in the rescue mission and will provide flights to bring home the Malaysian detainees.

“I am very proud to see many parties have come forward with various forms of assistance regardless of race, religion or political backgrounds. I believe the government will be able to handle this issue successfully,” he said. — Bernama
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia ... ay/1721618

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Mon Feb 11, 2019 10:42 am Larry Sng, families of detainees to leave for Cambodia Wednesday
Published 13 hours ago on 10 February 2019
KUCHING, Feb 10 — Julau MP Larry Sng Wei Shien is scheduled to leave for Cambodia this Wednesday with family members of the Malaysian detainees as well as the media to see the real situation on the ground.

Sng, in a statement today, said the Malaysian Embassy in Cambodia had successfully organised a visit by the delegation to the Banteay Meanchey prison.

“I have just been informed that the AirAsia will also participate in the rescue mission and will provide flights to bring home the Malaysian detainees.

“I am very proud to see many parties have come forward with various forms of assistance regardless of race, religion or political backgrounds. I believe the government will be able to handle this issue successfully,” he said. — Bernama
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia ... ay/1721618

It's no big deal. The OZ government and Qantas would do the same for any Australians.

Further information on the case here: it is alleged that eight Chinese nationals connected to the case were released without charges after being arrested in the police raid in December 2018.

Gambling racket Malaysians will face Cambodian courts
11 February 2019 | 11:53 ICT
Cambodian officials have said that the 47 Malaysians held in Banteay Meanchey provincial prison on suspicion of running an online gambling and fraud racket would have to go through the Cambodian legal system.

The Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday issued a press release regarding the detention of its nationals at the Banteay Meanchey provincial prison since December 11.

Officials at the Malaysian embassy in Phnom Penh said the “detainees were offered jobs with an attractive pay”.

“The Embassy of Malaysia in Phnom Penh has brought this matter to the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia via a diplomatic note to release the detainees,” the press release said, adding that the embassy was closely monitoring the case and providing consular assistance.

A source with knowledge of the case but who asked not to be named said 55 suspects were originally arrested in the police operation in December, including eight Chinese nationals.

The source said the Chinese nationals were later released after being found not to have been involved in the alleged crimes.

The source said the suspects were charged with several offences, including fraud and running an online gambling operation.

“They committed online fraud. Each of them had a telephone to defraud people in other countries, not Cambodia. For example, they told victims that they were the police."
“They lied to victims that a relative of theirs was in danger and so they needed to send [the suspects] money to help,” the source said.

Malin said that if found guilty, the suspects would either serve their sentences in Cambodia or be deported to Malaysia by agreement.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... ian-courts

Wisma Putra thanks Cambodia over release of 47 Malaysian detainees
By Kalbana Perimbanayagam - February 16, 2019 @ 12:12am
PUTRAJAYA: Foreign Ministry thanked the Cambodian government for ensuring the release of the 47 Malaysians who were detained in the Banteay Meanchey prison recently.

In a statement last night, the ministry confirmed that all 47 of them had been freed as of 7.30pm (Malaysian time).

“The Malaysian government wishes to extend its special thanks to the Honourable Prime Minister of Cambodia, His Excellency HE and the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia, His Excellency Prak Sokhonn for the personal attention given on the matter.

“The Ministry, together with the Sarawak state government working with the Cambodian authorities to arrange for the detainees to be sent back,” it said before reminding all Malaysians to be cautious of similar job opportunities offered in foreign countries.

It advised Malaysians to be extra wary and to always verify the prospective employer’s information before taking up such job offers.

It was reported that the 47 Malaysians were detained in Cambodia since Dec 11 last year on charges of cheating, initiating and carrying out illegal online gambling activities.
They claimed to have been duped by a job agency syndicate.
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019 ... -detainees