Family can't confirm Sarawakians freed

SIBU: Family members of the four Sarawakian sailors kidnapped off Pulau Ligitan in Sabah on April 1 are in the dark over a report from Jolo that the Abu Sayyaf group has released their hostages.

Wong Lung Sung, 81, the grandfather of two brothers held hostage, told reporters on Wednesday that they received no word of their release.

“There has not been any confirmation of their release. We do not even know their whereabouts,” said Lung Sung.

It was reported that the four were released by the group late Tuesday and arrived in Sandakan, Sabah, early Wednesday.

Brothers Wong Teck Kang, 31, and Wong Teck Chii, 29, their cousin, Johnny Lau Jung Hien, 21, and Wong Hung Sing, 34, were crew members of a tugboat returning to Sarawak on April 1 from the Philippines when they were seized.

Lung Sung said eight family members from the two families of the hostages, except for those from Hung Sing, had flown to Sabah two weeks ago when they heard of their release.

“They have been there for two weeks but up to this morning, there is no news that the four had been freed," he said.

Lung Sung added that they were letting the two governments deal with the kidnappers for the release of the four.

Lung Sung's wife, Lau Buong Ting, 70, said the family has been getting calls from far and near for two weeks now asking for confirmation of the release of the four.