Malaysians travel abroad told not to carry bags or packages from strangers

besonline.rtm.net.my – 07/10/2007

Kuala Lumpur – Datuk Seri Syed Hamid today advised Malaysians especially women who wish to travel abroad to be more careful and to help carry bags or packages belonging to other people they do not know.

He gave the advice because many Malaysian women had been arrested and jailed overseas for carrying bags or packages containing drugs.

Datuk Seri Syed Hamid was commenting of Raja Munira Raja Iskandar Shah, 22, who was sentenced to seven years and four months jail by a Japanese court for attempting to smuggle several packets of syahbu at the Narita International Airport in Tokyo o­n December 20 last year.

Raja Munira, a mass communication student of a private college in Kuala Lumpur alleged that she had been duped by an Iranian man she had just known.

Datuk Seri Syed Hamid said he ordered the Malaysian Embassy to Japan to visit the woman and gather information pertaining to the case.