| Keep their jobs open By Chris
Maskilone
KOTA KINABALU:
Employers of the nine Malaysians being held hostage by Abu Sayyaf on Jolo in Southern
Philippines for the past two months have been urged to leave their jobs open, in
anticipation of their safe return.
Making the call here Friday,
Federal Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn said the Social Security
Organisation (Socso) should also view the situation with an open mind and consider
assistance to the affected groups.
Fong said this Friday when
asked to comment on the stand of the employers, particurlarly in the private sector,
pertaining to the absence of their workers who are now being confined in a rebel hideout.
"My advice to them is
that they continue paying their workers salaries and keep their jobs open because they are
trapped in a situation beyond their control," Fong said.
He also urged them to
consider extending other forms of humanitarian assistance from the Labour Department.
"We want to ensure they
are well taken care of in the absence of the breadwinners," he said.
The incident unfolded on
April 23 when six men armed with AK-47 assault rifles and a rocket launcher raided Pulau
Sipadan and whisked away 21 people, including 11 foreign tourists at gunpoint.
The local employees are Ken
Fong Yin Ken, Kua Yu Loong and Vincent Kwong, Louresia Dablo (married to a Malaysian) who
are attached to Pulau Sipadan Resort, Rolland Ullah a Borneo Divers staff and Sipadan Dive
Centre's Lee Hock Leong.
It is understood that the
relevant Government agencies have continued paying the salaries of police lance corporal
Abdul Jawan Sulamat and four wildlife officers Zulkarnain Hashim, Francis Masungkim,
Basilius Jim and Bala Krishan Nair.
Questioned on the possibility
of Socso paying compensation in the event the hostages ran foul of the negotiations, Fong
said "everyone is hoping for the safe release of the hostages and Socso will have to
view the situation liberally".
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