KUANTAN: The Pahang government has come forward to assist in bringing home the remains of Muhammad Izzat Abdul Wahab, a victim of a job scam syndicate who allegedly died after being rescued in Myanmar on Oct 14.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said the state executive council which met today had agreed to contribute RM25,000 to Izzat's family to assist them to bring home his remains to Malaysia and bury them in his hometown here.
"The Pahang government would like to express our deepest condolences to Izzat's family members following his death during detention at the immigration centre in Tachileik, Myanmar on Oct 14.
"I hope that his family will remain patient during these difficult times and let's all pray for him to be placed among the righteous," he said in a Facebook post today.
Wan Rosdy said he hoped the public would be extra careful when accepting job offers abroad and ensure its validity to avoid becoming human trafficking victims.
Izzat, believed to be a victim of a job fraud syndicate, was tricked into travelling to Bangkok, Thailand on Oct 7 before he was rescued by Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) representatives but later died at an immigration centre due to alleged heart issues on Oct 14.
Earlier today, his family requested to perform a second post-mortem on the remains once it arrives in Malaysia. His remains will be brought from a hospital in Tachileik to the Yangon General Hospital for post-mortem this week.
Semambu assemblyman Chan Chun Kuang, who visited the family today, said the cost to bring Izzat's body back to Malaysia was expected to be around USD6,000 (RM28,440).
He said the matter would be conveyed to Wan Rosdy to see how assistance could be provided to the family.