KUCHING: A group of six Sarawakians stranded in Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea (PNG) will return home today – thanks to Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing who paid for their home flights.
They are believed to be victims of a job scam by an “employer” in Solomon Islands.
The six are Anyie Ngau and Dennis Anyie Ngau from Baram, Edau Mengit, Menlingang Laja, Ricky Alex and Ugot Masam from Kapit.
Masing’s private secretary Henry Yan said the six flew to Singapore at noon yesterday from Honiara Airport Solomon Island via Port Moresby and are expected to arrive at the Kuching International Airport at 2.45 pm today for transit enroute to Sibu and Miri.
Henry said they went to the Malaysia Consulate Office in Solomon Island on May 13 this year to report the problems they were facing with their employer, a logging company operating in Solomon Island.
The Third Secretary of the Malaysian High Commission in PNG Mohd Rezza Mohd Yusof helped to arrange for the six Sarawakians’ return.
According to Henry, Masing paid for their airfares, fees to the authority and other
expenses.
“These people are stranded in PNG. I paid to take them home,” Masing said in his short message to the New Sarawak Tribune yesterday.
This is the third incident this year where Malaysians were stranded abroad due to job scams.
In February, 47 Malaysians, including 40 Sarawakians, returned home following their release from detention in a provincial Cambodian prison after they were offered high-paying jobs that never materialised.
A month later, eight Sarawakians returned home after falling victim to a scam that left them stranded in Monrovia, Liberia, since Feb 4.
