Zahid: Kidnappers of fishermen managed to operate 'under radar'

KUALA LUMPUR: A kidnap for ransom group is behind the abduction of the three fishermen in Sabah waters near the tourist resort of Pulau Pom Pom off Semporna, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.  

“This group moves in the southern Philippines, specifically near islands located in the vicinity of Malaysian waters,” said Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister.  

Speaking at a media conference after attending the 8th annual general meeting of the Makkal Sakti party here Sunday, Dr Ahmad Zahid said the three victims were not Malaysian citizens but permanent residents.  

“We have done a lot of surveillance in the area but the groups have managed to operate ‘under the radar’, so I have informed Esscom (Eastern Sabah Security Command), MMEA (Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency) and navy to fully monitor the 1,700km long area fully,” he said.  

He also said authorities were facing several obstacles, including in terms of equipment, adding that Esscom would soon receive the equipment needed to carry out their duties efficiently.

It was reported that a suspected seven-member Filipino armed group is believed to have taken the victims across the border towards the southern Philippines island chain of Tawi Tawi province.  

Esscom commander Datuk Wan Abdul Bari Abdul Khalid confirmed that they received a report from the owners of the fishing trawler  at 1.59am Sunday.  

The owner of the fishing boat had said the gunmen kidnapped the skipper and two crew members at about 10.20pm on Saturday.  

It is believed that the three fishermen identified as Flipino Bajaus were among a crew of 11 on the trawler when seven kidnappers confronted them at gunpoint. 

The kidnappers only took three crewmen and fled in a green-coloured fast boat towards southern Philippines. 

The rest of the crew steered the trawler back to the Semporna jetty.

The incident came hardly two days after Esscom conducted an intensive operations against cross border smugglers in the five districts in the east coast.