KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 — A local non-governmental organisation has held talks with the Cambodian government to help 47 Malaysians imprisoned in Poi Pet, about 446km north of Phnom Penh.           

NGO Antarabangsa chairman Datuk Dr Mustapha Ahmad Marican said the meeting with Cambodian Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Oknha Datuk Dr Othsman Hassan, today was to seek a solution to their plight.       

He said Othsman agreed to bring the matter up with Prime Minister Hun Sen soon and obtain permission for Mustapha to visit them.

"Those who were detained were probably promised a lucrative income, especially since Cambodia uses the American dollar.

"They were promised a good job, but when they arrived in Cambodia, they were forced to work in casinos and illegal gambling dens,” Mustapha said in a statement today.

He added that he informed Othsman that most of these detainees were from poor families and had been duped by a syndicate.

Last Thursday, Wisma Putra confirmed the reports that 47 Malaysians had been detained in Poi Pet, Cambodia since December 11 last year.

According to Wisma Putra, they were detained for cheating, opening and conducting illegal gambling activities. — Bernama