Illiterate Malaysian-Indians falling victims of `slavery scam`

Kuala Lumpur, May 30 (PTI) Many illiterate ethnic Indians
in Malaysia are falling prey to scams by organised syndicates
who lure them with well-paying jobs and later treat them like
slaves, a leading daily here reported Saturday.

Wanting a better life for their family and eager to
escape the grip of poverty, many ethnic Indians fall victim to
the scam which has been kept under close wraps by syndicates,
the New Straits Times said in a report from Malacca.

One of the victims, M Nadarajah, 47, said the syndicate
members were like "thugs, who exerted force to instil fear so
that we dare not go against them." He alleged that he and some
others victims were abused verbally and physically.

Nadarajah said his captor had also threatened to sell his
children, especially his two girls, if he escaped, the paper
reported.

The newspaper, however, did not give any details of how
many victims were lured by the syndicate. There was also no
mention of any action by the police. PTI