‘Abductors constantly on the move’

Police are still on the case of two kidnapped Malaysian and have renewed efforts to find the duo and negotiate their release.

LAHAD DATU: After months of silence on the fate of two Malaysians kidnapped last year from Sahabat 15 in Tungku near here, police have revealed that they are still on the case.

Sabah Police Commissioner, Hamza Taib said yesterday that efforts were being made to re-establish communications with their abductors of plantation managers Chong Wei Fei and Chong Wei Jie which were disrupted by the armed incursion at Kg Tanduo in February.

Speaking after attending a breaking of fast at the Marine police base here yesterday, Hamza disclosed that the bloody incident at Kg Tanduo in Tungku Felda Sahabat 17 scheme all but severed communications between police and those believed responsible for the kidnapping that took place near Sahabat 15 in November last year.

He assured that police are still on the case and have renewed efforts to find the duo and re-establish communications with their abductors and negotiate their release.

He said all communication with the abductors stopped after a group calling themselves the Royal Sulu Army appeared in Kampong Tanduo on February 12.

As such he said resuming the communication with the abductors was vital as police are keen to know whether there are fresh demands for the safe release of the duo who police believe are being kept under tight guard.

“It is very difficult for us to take a step forward if there is no such communication. We know their location but they are constantly on the move. However we have reason to believe they are still in Tawi-Tawi province,” he said.

Hamza said Sabah police had sought the assistance from Bukit Aman’s Special Task Force for Operation and Counter Terrorism but the Kg Tanduo incident had stalled efforts by both Malaysian and Philippine security authority to resolve this case.

“Now we can only wait and hope they (abductors) make any demands soon,” he said.

Deal scuttled

Sources said the two had come close to being freed just before the armed incursion at Kg Tanduo when their abductors agreed to an undisclosed amount for their release.

The deal was scuttled when their abductors were scared off by saw the large presence of Malaysian security forces on land and sea during the early stages of the Kg Tanduo stand-off.

The two men were kidnapped on the evening of Nov 13 last year when five men armed with M16 rifles confronted them and their workers at the Lian Hin Lee Plantation Sdn Bhd, while they were inspecting their birds’ nest farmhouse.

They were all relieved of their cellphones and valuables before the group told them all to leave except for four including the two cousins.

They were then bound and told they were being taken to the police station for questioning, and marched at gunpoint towards the sea about 2km away where a boat was moored by the beach.

On reaching the beach the gunmen changed their minds and took only the two victims with them.

The two have now been in captivity for more than nine months.

Also present at yesterday’s function were Silam MP Nasrun Mansur, state CID Chief, SAC Omar Mama, representatives from state and federal enforcement units, as well as from the above four police district.