'I thought I
was dreaming'
Zulkarnain recalls when told he is a free man by kidnappers
By Sunar Tumiran
KOTA KINABALU: Freedhostage Zulkarnain
Hashim, a Sabah Wildlife Department ranger, returned home yesterday to be reunited with
his family after being held captive for 62 days vy Abu Sayyaf rebels on Jolo island
southern Philippines.
Zulkarnain arrived on fight MH703 from
Manila at about 4.30pm, accompanied by the Second Secretary at the Malaysian Embassy in
the Philippines, Bala Chandran Tharman.
It was really a touching scene at the
international arrival gate of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) here
yesterday when Zulkarnain appeared from the aircraft.
His wife, Siti Hajar Jakiah who was given
special permission to wait on the aerobridge, immediately rushed to embrace him. They were
unable to suppress their tears of joy and reunion.
"Thank almighty Allah....I have been
freed," Zulkarnain's told a packed news conference held at a VIP room of the KKIA.
"I feel very happy to be with my
family again. I can't express what I want to say."
Among those who were at the airport to
welcome Zulkarnain home were Chief Minister Datuk Haji Osu Sukam, Tourism Development,
Environment, Science and Technology Minister Datuk Chong Kah Kiat and Rural Development
and Entrepreneurm Minister Datuk Nasir Tun Sakaran.
'I thought I was dreaming, it couldn't be
real or maybe it was just a joke when the kidnappers told me that I have been
released," recalled the 29-year-old who is the only hostage among the 21 mostly
foreign hostages, liberated by the Abu Sayyaf rebels.
Zulkarnain said the kidnappers informed him
last Thursday that he would be released.
Asked if the kidnappers told him the
rationale behind his release, Zulkarnain said:" all they said was 'you are
freed...they did not say anything else."
Also asked if there ia any indication that
the remaining hostages would also be release, he said "Insya' Allah (God willing),
all of them would be released".
On the things he did while held captive
along with the other hostages, Zulkarnain said he prayed all the time. "I prayed for
my family's safty and for them to be blessed by Allah," he added.
Zulkarnain said he was able to endure the
conditions on Jolo island as he spent most of his working time in the forests.
During the 60-day 'detention', Zulkarnain
said he managed to contact his family once via telephone when he was in Patikul.
He also said that while on Jolo island, he
received two letters, one from his wife and the other from a relative.
"What I want to do now is to take a
break, relax my mind and to be with my family members," he said.
To other question, Zulkarnain said he still
intend to continue working as a wildlife ranger and that he is prepared to be reassigned
to Sipadan island where he was working before being abducted along with the 20 others.
On the condition of the other hostages, he
said all of them are safe asked him to deliver messages to the families.
"Some handed me letters to be given to
their families while others just wanted me say 'hello'," he added.
Soon after the news conference, Zulkarnain
was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital here for a medical check-up.
Zulkarnain arrived at about 4.35pm
yesterday but as early as 3pm, the VIP room of the KKIA was already packed with local and
foreign journalists and photographers.
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