Malaysians detained in Cambodia expected to fly home on Sunday (Feb 17)

Zunita Sedini showing a picture of her son who was detained in Cambodia. He is among 47 Malaysians who were released from detention in Cambodia on Friday. - ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/THE STAR

KUCHING: The 47 Malaysians released from detention in Cambodia will fly home at the earliest by Sunday (Feb 17).

A Sarawak government delegation led by Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah will help to arrange their flights home.

The delegation visited the detainees on Thursday (Feb 14).

Fatimah said she was informed of the release of the detainees by Cambodian Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Oknha Datuk Othsman Hassan on Friday (Feb 15).

"Alhamdulillah. Just now Datuk Othsman spoke to me over the phone from Siem Reap to officially announce the good news that all our detainees have been released.

"I have spoken to (the Chief Minister) relaying the good news and the necessary follow-up to be done to bring our 'anak Sarawak' home.

"Tomorrow (Feb 16) morning we will fly to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh to bring the detainees back to Kuching," she said, adding that the detainees would be brought home the earliest by Sunday.

She also thanked the Cambodian and Malaysian governments for the detainees' release. 

Of the 47 detainees, 40 are from Sarawak and not 44 as reported earlier. 

Four others are from Peninsular Malaysia and three are from Sabah.