SEPANG - Job scam victim Muhd Farhan Azman, who got a job in Singapore before being forced to work as a scammer in Myanmar, managed to return home to Malaysia on Wednesday.

When the 19-year-old arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport arrival hall, he prostrated himself on the floor in gratitude.

He is one of the six job scam victims rescued by Mr Sim Chon Siang, the assemblyman for Teruntum, Pahang. The other five victims are Muhammad Redzuan Arif Rashidi, 21; Yong Ying Yien, 30; Felix Lim, 25; Wong Chee Hoon, 27; and Lim Han Hsin, 28.

Mr Farhan’s mother Zahiriah Abdul Rasid, 45, said she had not been able to sleep for the past four months.

She said her son had obtained a housekeeping job in Singapore before being transferred to Thailand by his employer.

From there, Mr Farhan was smuggled to Myanmar where was forced to work in a call centre as a scammer.

Ms Zahiriah said he was beaten and starved if he did not meet his target of RM30,000 (S$9,128) in scam proceeds.

“My son contacted me when he was in Myanmar because scammers had asked for a ransom of RM15,000.

“We were in contact and I knew that he was being tortured and starved,” she said.

Mr Sim said the Malaysian and Thai police, the Malaysia Embassy and Mr Victor Wong, a Malaysian living in Thailand took part in the rescue effort.

He added that about 1,000 Malaysians are still trapped in Myanmar’s KK Garden compound, where Mr Farhan was imprisoned.

The compound is surrounded by 4m-high walls and barbed wire.

Victims are subjected to water torture and beatings with plastic pipes, Mr Sim said. Some were forced to carry 20l of water up and down two flights of stairs, while those who attempt to run away could be tied to their bunk beds for over a month.

Job scam victims have to work for more than 15 hours a day, and would have their organs harvested if they were unable to work, he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK