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Malaysian Government Must Show That It is fair To All The Hostages In Negotiating With The Philippine Kidnappers Statement by Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman and MP for Kepong on the Malaysian Government's decision to negotiate with the marauders who have abducted 21 hostages from Sipadan, Sabah, Malaysia, on 28 April 2000 | |||||||
| It is six days after the Islamic rebel group, Abu Sayyaf, have forcibly taken 21 hostages of various nationalities to Talipao, Jolo, Sulu, South Philippines. More rumours are heard: nine hostages are released and negotiation between the Philippine Government and the rebels are delayed. The Mindanao Governor Nor Misuari has been appointed by the Philippine President Joseph Estrada to talk to the kidnappers. We hope that he will give us more details of the negotiation. Apart from RM10 million ransom demand, there are other news: on 26 April 2000, France warned Malaysia and the Philippines against using force to free the hostages who include two French. A Lebanese woman is one of the hostages; Lebanon would like to ask the Organisation of Islamic Conference, OIC, to mediate. Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato' Seri Syed Hamid met diplomats whose nationals are among the hostages and assured the respective governments of the safety of the hostages. Meanwhile, Chief Secretary to the Malaysian Government Tan Sri Abdul Halim Ali heads a special committee to seek the release of the hostages. The Prime Minister Dato' Seri | |
Dr Mahathir Mohamad has announced that the Malaysian Government is ready to negotiate with the kidnappers. We hope that it will be fair to all hostages in the negotiation. Let us protect all who have been snatched from Sipadan, the Malaysian soil. Whatever the motives of the abduction, the cut in the expenditure to protect our waters, the relative lack of patrol, the need for a border Asian security and the part played by our intelligence service, the urgent task is to secure the release of the hostages. Both Malaysia and the Philippines have special rescue teams. A ninety-member Malaysian special force is in Sabah, ready to spring into action. It is reported that if negotiation betwen the Philippine representatives and the rebels fails, the Philippine armed forces will prepare a perfect rescue plan. Will they use force? Will they pay any ransom? Hostages's mother countries such as Finland, France, South Africa, Germany and Lebanon are watching for safe rescue action from Malaysian and Philippine special teams. They expect unbiased efforts and no less. Let us hope that we can cut the Gordian knot soon.
Dr Tan Seng Giaw | |||||
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