KUALA LUMPUR: The Communication Ministry will take action and work with enforcement agencies to stop the display of illegal trafficking services promoted online.
Its Deputy Minister Teo Nie Ching stressed the role of the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia (MCMC) in curbing the illicit actions of these syndicates.
"We will work with law enforcement agencies to take down any illegal content, or content relating to illegal activities," she said.
This follows a report on syndicates that have taken to TikTok to openly advertise speedboat services to undocumented Indonesians in Malaysia looking to return home.
The speedboats allegedly ferry the undocumented migrants in Selangor, Melaka, Negri Sembilan and Johor to various destinations in Indonesia, including Batam, Dumai and Bengkalis Island.
The trips, which were advertised to those travelling without passports or with expired visas, are priced between RM1,500 and RM2,200.
Previously, the Indonesian embassy stressed that it was actively working with Malaysian authorities to curb the activities of cross-border human traffickers helping to transport undocumented Indonesians back to their home country.
Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia Hermono said the embassy was alerted to online advertisements of the syndicates two years ago.
Heightened collaboration between the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Indonesian Navy and the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency is one of the enforcement efforts being undertaken to crack down on the trafficking syndicates, he said.
To date, the embassy together with the Malaysian Immigration Department has facilitated the repatriation of almost 2,000 undocumented Indonesian citizens between 2022 and May 2024.
"This week, more than 200 undocumented individuals will be sent back to Indonesia," he said
