A delegation of the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs went on a visit to Cambodia on June 11-15, 2024 to strengthen cooperation on the protection and handling of Indonesian citizens allegedly involved in online gambling and scam.
The delegation met with various stakeholders to explore joint efforts in addressing the issues, including gathering information on Cambodian labor regulations to facilitate legal employment opportunities for Indonesian citizens in Cambodia. They exchanged views on existing cooperation between Indonesia and Cambodia, particularly in preventing and enforcing laws against human trafficking (TPPO) cases.
“We express our gratitude and appreciation for the support and cooperation from Cambodia in handling TPPO cases involving Indonesian citizens,” Nur Rokhmah Hidayah, Assistant Deputy for Asia-Pacific and African Cooperation Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, said on Saturday, June 15, 2024.
“This cooperation needs to be continuously enhanced, especially in providing protection for Indonesians working and residing in Cambodia,” Nur Rokhmah, who led the delegation, added.
On the occasion, the Indonesian delegation proposed capacity-building training for the Cambodian police and TPPO task force, aimed at creating unified understanding and practices in identifying, screening, investigating, and protecting TPPO victims. The training is scheduled for late September 2024.
The delegation also visited Preah Sihanouk Province, known as Sihanoukville, to engage with Indonesian entrepreneurs and assess the living conditions of Indonesian citizens. They inspected the services and protection facilities for Indonesian citizens at the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh.
The visit was prompted by significant increase in cases for Indonesian citizens implicated in online gambling and scams in Cambodia, which rose from 15 cases in 2020 to 1,386 cases in 2023. Of these, 544 were related to online gambling, and 842 to online scams.