Najib wants remains of slain Malaysian hostage brought home

Sarawakian engineer Bernard Then was killed by Abu Sayyaf on Nov 17.

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has expressed his condolences to the family of the late Bernard Then Ted Fei and directed Malaysian authorities to bring Then’s remains back as soon as possible.

“I learned with deep sadness that DNA tests by Philippine authorities confirmed the remains found in Jolo is that of the late Bernard Then,” said Najib in a post on his Facebook page on Sunday.

He directed Malaysia to liaise with authorities in the Philippines to bring Then’s remains home as soon as possible in order to “help provide closure to his family”.

“I sympathise with the family of the late Bernard Then and wish to express my deepest condolences in this difficult time,” said Najib.

On Saturday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed that police had received verbal conformation from their Philippine counterparts that the DNA sample of the severed head found on Jolo island matched Then.

The engineer from Sarawak was kidnapped from the Ocean King seafood restaurant in Sandakan on May 15 along with the manager of the restaurant Thien Nyuk Fun, 50.

Then was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf at around 4pm on Nov 17.

His severed head was found near a municipal council building in Jolo later that day.

A headless body believed to be that of the slain Then was recovered in Jolo on Dec 14 and sent to Zamboanga City for identification.