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By Sunir Tumiran and Yatim Andam Taubatal
Kota Kinabalu:
The remaining three Malaysian hostages freed by Abu Sayyaf rebels, arrived here safely
yesterday after being held captive in the Southern Philippines islands of Jolo for almost
four months. They were reunited with their families who had been waiting at the airport
since early yesterday. The Sabah Air aircraft carrying the three liberated Malaysians
– dive instructor Fong Yin Ken, wildlife ranger Basilus Jim and cook Kua Yu Loong
– touched down at Terminal Two of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport Terminal
Two at 4.05pm. The aircraft was piloted Yin Ken’s father Captain Fong Shu Fah.
At a media
conference minutes later, Yin Ken who spoke on behalf of Basilius and Kua said, "we
like to thank the Malaysian Government for its tireless efforts to secure our
freedom."
Yin Ken said he
believed that the foreign hostages, still being held captive, will also be freed
eventually.
"But I
don’t know when," he said.
He also
believed that the Abu Sayyaf gunmen staged the hostage-taking at Sipadan island on April
23 for political reasons. "They are fighting for a cause," he said.
Yin Ken said he
felt sad being the among the last Malaysians to be released "but I am happy for the
others who were freed earlie".
Deputy
Education Minister Datuk Aziz Shamsuddin who returned with the Malaysian hostages
yesterday said their release was disrupted for several days because the negotiations for
their release took place in another country.
He however said
the success in securing the release of all the Malaysians, is a sign that unity among all
multi-racial Malaysians in the country is stronger than ever.
Aziz said all
quarters, the Malaysian Government, the private sector and individuals, had been working
hand-in-hand to secure the release of all the Malaysians.
He also said
Malaysian Government is willing to assist the governments of the foreign hostages to
secure their release.
On why the
Malaysian hostages were free first, Aziz said this is because the Malaysian Government was
giving attention to them.
Former Chief
Minister Datuk Yong Teck Lee who is also the "freedom fight", said the
Malaysians release was confirmed on Saturday afternoon.
But Yong said
he was only convinced that had been freed after he spoke to them at 7.30pm that day.
Yin Ken,
Basilus, Kua and the other six other Malaysians freed earlier, were among the 21 people
abducted from Sipadan island by gunmen on April 23 and taken to Jolo island in the
Southern Philippines.
The first
Malaysian hostage set free by the Abu Sayyaf rebels was wildlife ranger Zulkarnain Hashim
and following his release in June, policemen Abdul Jawah Selawat was feed in July.
The four others
– Francis Masangkim, Bala Krishnan Nair, Vincent Kwong and Lee Hock Liong – were
released later in the same month.
Thus far,
German woman Renate Wallert and a Filipina working at the Sipadan island, were the only
two foreigners released.
Nine others – two Germans,
two South Africans, two Finns, one Filipino, one Lebanese and a Frenchman – are still
being held captive.
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