Distraught: Chong (right) and Ti (left) with the victim’s parents at the press conference. — LOW BOON TAT/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Their son suffers from mental and physical disabilities, but was trying to make his own way in the world.
He was then tempted by an overseas job offer that turned out to be too good to be true, and now his parents fear for his life after job scammers threatened to torture him unless they are paid off.
Recounting their ordeal at a press conference organised by MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong, his parents could barely hold their tears, with the mother breaking down several times.
The couple, who wished to be known only as Ng and his wife Ong, are now worried for their son’s safety after contact was cut following multiple extortion attempts by the scammers who had duped him into going to Myanmar.
Clutching a photo of her son, Ong could only beg in Mandarin for the safe return of her child.
According to the parents, Ng Chan Wai, 21, who has both physical and mental disabilities, had been working as a kitchen assistant in the Klang Valley since February after moving from his hometown in Jerantut, Pahang.
However, in the middle of April, he suddenly informed his parents that he had already flown to Myanmar for work.
Ng said the news took the family by surprise, adding that he even scolded his son over the phone for not letting anyone know about it.
Several photos of Chan Wai have since been sent to his parents, but they cannot determine if these were actually taken at the time of contact.
Ng said not long after that, Chan Wai called him for money.
“He requested RM2,000 so that he could meet up with a friend who had gone to Myanmar with him. The money was banked into a local bank account on June 22,” he said.
However, Ng said more calls for money were made from unknown persons, with the sum increasing each time – until the latest call.
That time, the caller threatened to sell the victim off to another crime syndicate if the family did not pay RM70,000 by July 14.
Ng said the caller also threatened to physically abuse Chan Wai if the money was not paid up.
“These syndicates will ask for ransom, but it’s never guaranteed that you will get your child back even if you pay,” said Chong.
Also present at the conference was MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker, who said scammers had changed their tactics.
“This is the third such case in Pahang this year, in which the victim is a disabled person,” he said.
