Sandakan kidnap: Liow urges Malaysia’s neighbours to tackle security threats

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s neighbours, including the Philippines, should do their part in tackling the security threats in the region following the Sandakan kidnapping incident, urged the MCA. 

Party president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the MCA was deeply concerned about the incident on Thursday night, which saw a restaurant manager and a customer, being taken by gunmen believed to be linked to the Abu Sayyaf kidnap group that operated in southern Philippines. 

“We urge the local authorities to strengthen and review security procedures and measures in the area. 

“At the same time, we also want our Government to engage neighbouring countries to take action for the safety of the region. 

“It is not only for us to defend and protect our people but our neighbours should also do their part,” he told reporters after chairing the MCA presidential council meeting at Wisma MCA here Friday. 

Liow, who is also Transport Minister, said the kidnapping in Sandakan, which happened in broad daylight, would affect the confidence of the people and the tourism industry. 

On Thursday night, the manager of a popular seaside restaurant Thien Nyuk Fun, 50, and Bernard Then Ted Fen, 39, an electrical consultant based in Cambodia, were kidnapped by gunmen. 

Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) commander Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun had said they were taking necessary action. 

On another matter, Liow said the MCA was not invited to intervene in the internal feud between factions in the United Chinese School Committees Association (Dong Zong). 

“We hope that their internal problems will not affect the progress of Chinese education in the country,” he said. 

He added that the party would agree to assist if the Dong Zong needed them to do so in solving the problem.  

The feud between factions led respectively by Dong Zong president Yap Sin Tian and secretary-general Poh Chin Chuan has been widely reported in the Chinese media. 

Among the developments in the rift was Poh’s faction handing over “evidence” of Yap’s alleged misuse of funds to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in Putrajaya.