KUCHING, Feb 17 —  Former Julau MP Datuk Sng Chee Hua lodged a police report today, denying that he was involved in a syndicate that sent locals to work in Cambodia only to have them arrested and jailed.

He lodged the report at the Ulu Lanang Police Station in Sibu this morning.

He said the allegations that he was involved in the syndicate that recruited Malaysians to work in Cambodia are “lies”.

According to the Borneo Post, the 71-year-old said he had been told by his son Larry, the Julau MP, through a WhatsApp message this morning that had gone viral of his alleged involvement in the syndicate.

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Sng senior denied the allegations, saying it had tarnished his image.

He wanted the police to act against those responsible for spreading the “lies”.

Larry had travelled to Cambodia to meet the victims last week.

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Earlier today, Sarawak Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said a syndicate, headed by a local mastermind, is believed to have scammed the 47 Malaysians who ended up in prison in Cambodia.

However, she said it will be up to the victims to lodge reports with the police for an investigation to be carried out against the mastermind.

The Malaysians, who were detained by the Cambodian authorities for allegedly involved in illegal online gambling since December 11 last year, returned home today.

The Sarawak government had chartered a plane to bring them back after the Cambodian government agreed for their release.

They were believed to be have been scammed by a human trafficking syndicate to work in Cambodia with a promise of a high paying job.