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DPM: RM12m given to Filipino charities, not kidnappers
PUTRAJAYA, June 16 — The RM12 million raised to ransom four Sarawakian hostages was paid to Filipino welfare groups and not the militants who abducted them, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today.
As news emerges of another possible abduction in Sabah today, Ahmad Zahid said the government does not recognise kidnap-for-ransom activities and would not use funds for such purposes.
“The government had decided that no ransom would be paid, and the police adhered to that,” he told reporters here at the Home Ministry offices.
“The RM12 million given to the PDRM Special Branch was collected from the public as well as the (the family’s) selling of assets, and I can confirm that the money was channelled not as ransom money, but to certain bodies in the Philippines,” he added.
He said he could not reveal the Filipino agencies that received the money as this was a police matter, but said he will direct the Royal Malaysia Police to issue a statement to inform the public about the move.
The deputy prime minister also insisted that the RM12 million was “definitely not” kept by the police.
“They (the Filipino recipients) are all legal agencies, some dealing with welfare and various other legal activities,” he explained.
An uncle to one of the freed hostages revealed yesterday that RM12 million was raised to ransom the four men, and given to the police on May 24.
Brothers Wong Teck Kang, 31, and Teck Chii, 29, their cousin Lau Jung Hien and Wong Hung Sing, 34, were kidnapped from a commercial barge, MV Massive 6, in the waters off Pulau Ligitan on April 1 while returning to Tawau, Sabah after sending a cargo of wood to Manila.
On the morning of June 8, they were taken to a boat and travelled to Sabah before reaching a jetty in Sandakan at 6am when the seven armed men who could speak Malay and English, told them they need not worry as they were safe now.
After freeing the four, the armed men left Sabah waters.
News of their release had raised questions regarding the donations collected, but authorities denied paying any ransom to free the four.
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PUTRAJAYA: The RM12 million collected for the Sarawak kidnap victims were channelled to several legal non-governmental organations in the Phillipines, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said the money, raised by the victims' families, was handed over to the Special Branch and was never used as ransom for the kidnapped victims.
“The government’s stand is that we do not pay any ransom and the police have to adhere to the directive.
“I had approved for the money to be channelled to several bodies in the Philippines to help them in their cause, which are legal and not against Islam.
“These bodies are not affliated with any terrorist and illegal groups.
“The police will give further details about this; they have not kept any of the money,” he said after launching the National Wakaf (Tithe) Al-Quran programme, today.
On April 1, four brothers, Wong Teck Kangsar, 31 and Teck Chii, 29, their cousin Jung Hien and Wong Hung Sin, 34 were kidnapped from a commercial barge, MV Massive 6, in the waters off Pulau Ligitan while returning to Tawau, Sabah after sending a cargo of wood to Manila.
It was reported that their families had raised RM12 million: RM9 million came from individuals, RM1 million from mortgaging two houses and RM2 million from the shipping firm they worked.
The money was given to the Special Branch in Sandakan on May 24, the family claimed.
We raised RM12 million ransom and passed it to police, says ex-hostages' family
SIBU: A relative of one of the four sailors recently freed by the Abu Sayyaf militant group has finally spoken out about rumours suggesting that the hostages were released after a ransom was paid to their captors.
Datuk Lau Cheng Kiong, who is the uncle of Johnny Lau Jung Hien, said the families had raised RM12 million in donations from the public since their plea to release the hostages were highlighted in the media.
Cheng Kiong said the donations were then handed over to the police's Special Branch in Sandakan, Sabah on May 24.
"All proceeds from the donation raised were handed over to the police," Cheng Kiong said, addressing issues surrounding the ransom.
Cheng Kiong was speaking at a press conference which was also attended by Johnny and the rest of the sailors here today.
He explained from the total amount, RM1 million were proceeds from the mortgage of their two houses at Pulau Li Hua.
The shipping company, which was the employer of the four, also contributed RM2 million in donations while the remaining amount was donated by the public.
The donations, Cheng Kiong said, came from individuals and groups from Malaysia as well as countries including China, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan and Solomon Islands.
Present were the sailors - Wong Hung Sing, 34, Wong Teck Kang, 31, and his younger brother Teck Chii, 29.
At the beginning of the press conference, the four sailors had knelt down as a gesture of appreciation to those who had prayed and contributed to their release.
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