Wong visits hostages’ family, clears air over incident

Wong (second left), Tiong (fourth from left), Lau (fifth from left) with the parents of the hostages.

SIBU: Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh promises to help families of the four hostages held by the Abu Sayyaf militants in Southern Philippines.

He said he would look into a different channel to help them receive donations after Bank Negara froze the bank account of Tommy Lau, a relative of one of the hostages, who tried to raise fund for the ransom by posting his account on the facebook .

Wong said he would also help the family to speed up on the application for the police permit to receive donation from members of the public to help them pay the ransom money.

“We know that this is a most difficult time for the family members and we will try our best to help them, in terms of both financial and moral support,” he added.

Wong was speaking to reporters after he visited the family members of the hostages at Pulau Li Hua yesterday evening.

With him were BN direct candidate for Dudong Datuk Tiong Thai King and BN direct candidate for Pelawan Kapitan Datin Janet Lau.

The visit was to clear the misunderstanding and miscommunication at the ceramah of Datuk Tiong Thai King at Poh Yew Road on Monday night.

The incident arose when several family members of the hostages intruded onto the stage as the ceramah was going on, knelt down in front of the crowd and repeatedly pleaded to be on the stage for three minutes and pleading for donation as they desperately need it to pay the ransom.

However, supporters of Tiong went to the group and reportedly told them to leave, saying they could settle the matter at another time, but they repeatedly refused. In the end, they were still asked to leave.

Someone recorded the incident on video and posted it on Facebook drawing negative response from netizens

Dato Sri Wong reiterated that Tiong is a caring person and he had been doing a lot of charitable work for the past years including schools and churches.

“He always cares for those in needs and has never wavered in rendering financial support to those who seek his help. He is not a heartless person. What happened last night was all due to misunderstanding and miscommunication,” he added.

Wong Chee Ming, the father of the brothers Wong Teck Kang, 31 and Wong Teck Chii kidnapped by the militants, also sought for forgiveness from Tiong , admitting that it was a mistake for them to barge into the ceramah without seeking permission.

Dato Sri Wong also assured the family members that the matter was already brought to the attention of the Prime Minister and also Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

Quoting a newspaper report, he said the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) had already received positive feedback from the Philippines security that joint plans and action were drawn up to free the victims.

Chee Ming also wanted to know what had the government done to speed up efforts to help secure the release of their children.

He said the last time his son Teck Kang called back was on April 23 and had told them that the deadline to send the ransom money was April 30, failing which they could be beheaded.

Chee Ming said the deadline was drawing near and the family members were desperate.

“What if they did not receive the money by April 30 and beheaded one of the victims as a warning to us?” he said.

Chee Ming said he had learnt that the Abu Sayyaf militants had already beheaded a Canadian after he reportedly failed to pay the ransom money.

“What if it happens to our son? Can anyone help us? We need the money and we desperately want to save our children,” he added.

In the incident at 6.15pm on April 1, the four Malaysian from a nine-man crew of a tug-boat were kidnapped by a group of armed men who boarded their vessel in the waters near Pulau Ligitan, Semporna, Sabah while returning from Philippines.

Besides Teck Kang and Teck Chii, the other two are Wong Hung Sing, 34 and Johnny Lau Jung Hien, 21.

Meanwhile, members of the public continue to show their sympathy and pour into the house of one of the hostages at 43A, Lane 1, Pulau Li Hua to donate the money.

 

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