By Michael Lee

KOTA KINABALU: Kan Wei Chong, one of the three Malaysians rescued from Abu Sayyaf captivity in the jungles of Jolo in the southern Philippines last Wednesday, is due to undergo surgery to remove a stone that had lodged in his right temple.

It was learnt that Wei Chong, 35, was unfortunate to have been hit by a splinter when a hail of bullets in the crossfire between the government forces and the rebels struck some rocks near where the trio lay in cover and in fear of their lives.

The bullets were at that time practically whizzing above the heads of the Malaysian hostages during the rescue operation at Mount Mahalo, on Jolo.

The rebels subsequently fled the area, leaving the trio behind in dazed state. The Malaysians returned to Sabah Friday, 45 days after their abduction from Pandanan island.

The others were resort manager Mohd Noh Sulaiman @ George Solomon, 43 and divemaster Joseph Ongkinoh, 40.

According to reliable sources, the operation would be conducted by specialists at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital here on Tuesday. They said the injury was not serious, but it would have been a different story if the stone had lodged deeper into his brain.

"Or if he had to endure a longer period in the jungle before any chance of being rescued."

When the media questioned the clearly visible bruise on his forehead at their press conference on Friday, someone who decided to speak on his (Kan’s) behalf quickly responded by saying it was just "A minor cut resulting from being on the run in the jungle".

The nature of Wei Chong’s wound revealed the ugly side of the second kidnapping where the hostages were exposed to extreme danger, apart from having the misfortune of being brought to Jolo just when the Philippine military decided to launch an all-out assault on the Abu Sayyaf.

It was also clear that the situation experienced by the 21 Sipadan hostages including nine Malaysians, kidnapped on April 23, paled in abducted at gunpoint on Pulau Pandanan, on Sept. 10.

Prior to their release in stages by late August, the Sipadan hostages enjoyed food, medicine and a more comfortable environment, as the army was kept at bay.

In the second incident, Mohd Noh said that they were taken to 28 destinations in just one month on Jolo, having been dragged by the bandits who were on the run as the army was closing in on them.

Following his release, Wei Chong had told his father that the food was bare white rice and nothing else.

Even water was a problem in the absence of rivers and spring water, and the clothings were basically rebel attire. Wei Chong, together with the others, appeared thinner, gaunt and weary upon arrival at the airport.

They were then taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for a brief rest and medical check-up.

Former diving tutor Kan Yin Siong, 56, initially predicted only 30 per cent hope of ever seeing his son Wei Chong alive again, especially when he and two other Malaysians were trapped in a battle zone between the armed forces and rebels.