| HOSTAGES ARE NOW OUTSIDE MALAYSIA'S WATERS,
SAYS NAJIB KUALA
LUMPUR, April 25 (Bernama) -- The 20 people taken hostage by pirates on Pulau Sipadan off
the Sabah coast Sunday are now outside Malaysian waters, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Najib
Tun Razak said Tuesday.
However, he declined to elaborate when asked whether the hostages were in Philippine
waters.
Speaking to reporters at the parliament lobby, here, he said Malaysia hoped for assistance
from the Philippine government to secure the safe release of the hostages.
"This effort (to secure the release of the hostages) is underway and we hope for
positive developments," he said.
Speculations are rife that the hostage-taking was executed by Abu Sayyaf rebels who are
based in southern Philippines.
Najib said the situation in Pulau Sipadan and Tawau was under control and the ministry
gave an assurance that security measures including deploying more personnel to the area
had been implemented.
The armed forces had sent a maritime patrol aircraft and a patrol boat to the area to help
search for the hostages, he said.
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