KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 – Drug smuggling and credit card fraud make up a majority of the offences committed by Malaysians who were detained or sentenced to death abroad.

Deputy Foreign Minister Senator A. Kohilan Pillay said drug smuggling made up 756 cases, or 50 per cent, while cases involving use of fake credit cards totalled 195.

Another 87 cases included commercial crimes such as theft, human trafficking, immigration and use of weapons.

He said most of the Malaysian offenders arrested overseas were youths aged between 20 and 35 who were preyed on by various syndicates, including those masterminded by Arabs and Africans, to carry out criminal activities.

“Youths are ideal targets because they are free from criminal records, whereas those with past criminal records may risk arrest sooner,” he said in reply to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakar on the offences frequently committed by Malaysians abroad.

Kohilan said the disabled were also not excluded from falling victims to these syndicates, with women being a prime target compared to men.

In relation to that, he said the government would not interfere with the host country’s legal affairs but would appeal for a lighter sentence should it be requested by the offender’s family.

Currently 1,490 Malaysians are imprisoned overseas of whom 70 were sentenced to capital punishment. – Bernama