KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today no ransom was paid in the release of two women kidnapped from the Singamata Adventures and Reef Resort, Semporna, Sabah last April.
Expressing his appreciation and thanks to the security forces for the
success in securing the release of the two victims, he said the
government was taking steps to facilitate the return of one of the
victims, a Chinese national, to her home as soon as possible.
"I have just been briefed by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) that the
two women abducted from a resort in Sabah last April had been rescued by
our authorities.
"No ransom was paid to secure their release," he said in a Twitter update.
On April 2, a woman tourist from China and a female worker were
abducted by a group of seven armed men at the Singamata resort, in
Semporna.
The Chinese woman, who was a student, was identified as Gao Hua Yuan,
29, from Shanghai while the female worker was a Filipina, aged 40, who
was identified as Marcy Dayawan or Mimi.
The success was due to the cooperation between the Malaysian and Philippine security forces, Najib added.
Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar,
through his twitter account, also expressed his appreciation to the
Malaysian and Philippine security forces for the close cooperation that
resulted in the freeing of both victims.
"Many thanks to the Phillipine's Security Forces for the assistance and
hard work in the release of two victims kidnapped from Semporna, Sabah.
"Congratulations to the Special Branch @PDRMsia, on the continued hard
work that succeeded in releasing the two hostages. The victims were in
good health," he said.
Earlier, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib confirmed that the
release of the two hostages was achieved through the cooperation of the
Malaysian and Philippine police.
However, he declined to disclose the location of the two victims currently.
-- BERNAMA
