Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Donations collections by syndicates
KUALA LUMPUR: Police rescued 16 Malaysian youths who were forced to “beg” for donations after they responded to advertisements promising well-paying jobs.
The youths were kept under constant guard in two places – an apartment and a house – after they finished “work” and were not allowed to make telephone calls. They were given only instant noodles to eat almost daily by the syndicate holding them.
They were rescued after The Star informed Ampang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Amer Awal that one of the youths had managed to send an SMS to his family for help.
Within minutes of the tip-off, ACP Amer assembled a team of police officers headed by his district CID chief Deputy Supt Goh Lee Fook to investigate the case.
After placing the premises in Taman Pandan Ria, Ampang, under surveillance for almost five hours, a raid was carried out at 1.45am on Monday and the youths were rescued.
Rounded up: Some of the youths who had been put to work soliciting donations illegally from the public.They were found asleep on double-decker beds and on the floor during the raid.
ACP Amer said police arrested four members of the syndicate, including a woman. All have been remanded to facilitate investigations.
“The youths, mainly from Sabah, Johor, Perak, Kedah, Kelantan and Selangor, had responded to advertisements placed in local vernacular newspapers for the post of marketing executives and front office supervisors with salaries at between RM900 and RM1,000 a month.
“Successful applicants paid between RM150 and RM200 to attend a one-month training programme before they started work. Part of the money was supposed to be for their return air tickets,” he told The Star.
ACP Amer said investigations revealed that the youths were taken to an apartment where they had to listen to a one-hour talk on how to beg or solicit money for charitable organisations before being sent to the streets.
It is learnt that several of the youths were even taught how to stammer to gain sympathy from the public.
The youths were not allowed to communicate with anyone and at any one time, either a supervisor or a senior would monitor their every move.
“The youths collected a total of about RM1,000 a day. We have seized several receipt books and are investigating how much they have collected so far,” said ACP Amer.
He said police were investigating the case under unlawful confinement and forced labour.
“Once we have completed our investigations, we will forward our report to the authorities for further action.”
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said if it was true the boys had been forced to ask for donations and were locked up in the house and apartment, then such an act constituted slavery.
“We want to find out whether any of the boys were reported missing by their families or even kidnapped.”
The youths were kept under constant guard in two places – an apartment and a house – after they finished “work” and were not allowed to make telephone calls. They were given only instant noodles to eat almost daily by the syndicate holding them.
They were rescued after The Star informed Ampang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Amer Awal that one of the youths had managed to send an SMS to his family for help.
Within minutes of the tip-off, ACP Amer assembled a team of police officers headed by his district CID chief Deputy Supt Goh Lee Fook to investigate the case.
After placing the premises in Taman Pandan Ria, Ampang, under surveillance for almost five hours, a raid was carried out at 1.45am on Monday and the youths were rescued.
Rounded up: Some of the youths who had been put to work soliciting donations illegally from the public.They were found asleep on double-decker beds and on the floor during the raid.
ACP Amer said police arrested four members of the syndicate, including a woman. All have been remanded to facilitate investigations.
“The youths, mainly from Sabah, Johor, Perak, Kedah, Kelantan and Selangor, had responded to advertisements placed in local vernacular newspapers for the post of marketing executives and front office supervisors with salaries at between RM900 and RM1,000 a month.
“Successful applicants paid between RM150 and RM200 to attend a one-month training programme before they started work. Part of the money was supposed to be for their return air tickets,” he told The Star.
ACP Amer said investigations revealed that the youths were taken to an apartment where they had to listen to a one-hour talk on how to beg or solicit money for charitable organisations before being sent to the streets.
It is learnt that several of the youths were even taught how to stammer to gain sympathy from the public.
The youths were not allowed to communicate with anyone and at any one time, either a supervisor or a senior would monitor their every move.
“The youths collected a total of about RM1,000 a day. We have seized several receipt books and are investigating how much they have collected so far,” said ACP Amer.
He said police were investigating the case under unlawful confinement and forced labour.
“Once we have completed our investigations, we will forward our report to the authorities for further action.”
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said if it was true the boys had been forced to ask for donations and were locked up in the house and apartment, then such an act constituted slavery.
“We want to find out whether any of the boys were reported missing by their families or even kidnapped.”
