Vietnam's Foreign Ministry confirmed on September 17 that 10 Vietnamese fishermen facing difficulties in Malaysia's Perak state had been successfully assisted and repatriated.
Speaking at the ministry's regular press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang said the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia acted promptly after receiving a request for assistance from authorities in Ca Mau Province on August 27.
The embassy quickly verified the information, coordinated with Malaysian authorities and established direct contact with the group of fishermen.
Maintaining close communication with the workers, the embassy arranged transportation to move them to a safe location in Kuala Lumpur and provided support for their accommodation and daily needs, Hang said.
The embassy also implemented necessary measures to issue travel documents, assist the fishermen in reporting their situation to local police and complete exit procedures with Malaysia's immigration authorities.
After the required formalities were completed, embassy officials accompanied the fishermen to the airport and assisted them with their return journey to Vietnam, where they arrived safely.
The Foreign Ministry urged Vietnamese citizens seeking employment abroad to carefully verify recruitment agencies, workplaces, employment contracts, wages and living conditions before accepting overseas jobs.
The ministry also advised workers to avoid relying on verbal promises or transferring money to unverified brokers.
Vietnamese citizens working overseas are encouraged to keep copies of their personal documents, maintain regular contact with family members and promptly notify local authorities or Vietnamese diplomatic missions if they face threats, have their passports withheld or are subjected to forced labour.
The Foreign Ministry noted that Vietnamese citizens can contact the Consular Department's citizen protection hotline or Vietnamese representative offices abroad at any time for emergency assistance.
