State govt doing all to help Sarawak hostages, assures Adenan

KUCHING: Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem has given the assurance that the state government would do all it can to help secure the release of the four Malaysians kidnapped off the east coast of Sabah on April 1.

“Of course we will, to secure their release,” Adenan said when asked by reporters if the state government would help out.

On claims that there has been no adequate response by the government over the plight of the hostages, Adenan said the government sympathised with the families.

"This matter will be with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs but of course we sympathise with the families,” he said.

In Sibu, family members of the four Malaysians showed up at the ceramah of both the Opposition and Barisan Nasional on the first day of the campaign, pleading for help.

The candidates from both sides were stunned as the group of about 10 people came unannounced.

They were family members of brothers Wong Teck Pang, 31, and Teck Chi,  29, their cousin Johnny Lau Jung Hien, 21, and Wong Hung Sing, 34, who is not a relative. The four were kidnapped from their tugboat by armed Filipino gunmen near Pulau Ligitan off Semporna on April 1.

Their captives had given until April 30 to meet their ransom demands or the hostages would be beheaded.

Carrying placards and kneeling down with teary eyes before the candidates, the crowds were moved by their action.

The placards read “Who can help us to save our children? Please extend your helping hand, public.”

SUPP candidate for Bukit Assek, Chieng Buong Toon, had just got onto the mobile stage to speak when the hostages’ families suddenly walked to him.

Chieng, seemingly worried over his safety, asked them what they were up to. Without saying anything, they opened their placards with one showing the photo of the hostages. The other placards sought for help.

Wong Chi Ming, the father of the two brothers, got down to his knee.

Earlier on, Barisan Nasional direct candidate for Dudong, Datuk Tiong Thai King, had to call off his ceramah when the group suddenly walked up to the stage and kneeled down while a singer was performing.

A member of the audience said everybody was shocked and scared as they were unaware of what was happening and Tiong tried to console the group and said they could discuss the matter at another time.

The group refused to leave forcing Tiong to end the ceramah.

The group also made their way to a DAP ceramah. 

“We understand their situation in this desperate time as the deadline (to pay the ransom) is very near now. We are also very concern with the safety of the four persons,” said David Wong, the DAP's Pelawan incumbent.