RELEASE OF
FOUR MALAYSIAN HOSTAGES POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT - FOREIGN MINISTERKOTA
TINGGI, Johor, July 21 (Bernama) -- Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said
today the release of four more hostages by the Jolo gunmen in the Southern Philippines is
very gratifying and a positive development.
"We will arrange for a plane to fly them home," he told reporters after a
meeting with Kota Tinggi District Felda Managers at Bandar Penawar near here. Syed Hamid
is the MP for Kota Tinggi.
He said the hostages would be handed over to the Philippine Government which would then
transfer them to the representative of the Malaysian Government -- the Malaysian
Ambassador in Manila.
The four Malaysians released Friday are Sabah Wildlife Department rangers Francis
Masangkim, 35, and Baln Krishnan Nair, 34, diver Fong Yin Ken, 26, and assistant chef Lee
Hock Leong, 21.
They were among 21 people abducted by gunmen from Pulau Sipadan, off Sabah, on April 23.
With the latest release, the remaining hostages comprise three Malaysians, two Germans,
two South Africans, two Finns, two Filipinos and one Lebanese.
The kidnappers had earlier released two Malaysians, ranger Zulkarnain Hashim, 29, and
policeman L/Kpl Abdul Jawah Salawat -- on June 23 and July 14 respectively and a German
national Renate Wallert, 56, on July 17.
The three Malaysians still being held by the kidnappers in the jungles of Jolo island are
chef Kua Yu Loong, ranger Basilius Jim and resort worker Vincent Kwong.
Syed Hamid said the government would continue work for the release of the other three
Malaysian hostages.
"We are confident that all of the Malaysian hostages will be set free as well as the
other hostages still being held," he said.
Asked whether Malaysia conducted separate negotiations with the kidnappers as only
Malaysians had so far been released apart from the German lady, Syed Hamid said there were
no such negotiations.
"This release of the Malaysian hostages is not of our making. We have always wanted
all of the hostages to be released together," Syed Hamid said.
Back to Sipadan Hostages News
Back
to This Week's Borneo News |
