Batam. The Indonesian Foreign Ministry is investigating reports that one of its citizens has been taken captive by an online scam syndicate in Cambodia, a diplomat said on Saturday.

The Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh is actively tracking the whereabouts of the citizen, identified as Agung Hariadi, 25, who recently appeared in a video pleading for help.

"The Foreign Affairs Ministry and the embassy in Phnom Penh have examined the video featuring Agung Hariadi, our citizen from Tanjungpinang, who claims he is being held captive in Cambodia,” said Judha Nugraha, the ministry’s director general for Indonesian citizen protection.

Judha confirmed that the embassy had managed to contact Agung through a hotline number but did not disclose further details.

"Once we gather the necessary data, the embassy will coordinate with local law enforcement authorities to take appropriate action," Judha added.

Agung’s case is not an isolated incident. According to Judha, as of November, the embassy had received 2,946 calls, with 76 percent of them related to online scam cases involving Indonesian citizens.

"We estimate that around 100,000 Indonesian citizens reside in Cambodia, based on data from November," he said.

The embassy has made a hotline (+8551283282) available for Indonesian citizens facing legal troubles in Cambodia. Judha emphasized the importance of vigilance, urging Indonesians to thoroughly verify job offers from Cambodia to avoid falling victim to such syndicates.

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