Malaysian authorities are reportedly working on verifying a news report by Philippine media on the abduction of four Malaysians off Sabah.
The New Straits Times quotes Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) commander Datuk Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid as saying that he was aware of the news, but there has been no confirmation.
“We did not receive any report on this matter but we are on the lookout,” he told the daily.
Philippines’ ABS-CBN had tweeted that the Philippine National Police (PNP) confirmed the abduction. In an earlier report, the news portal quoted Tawi-Tawi police director S/Supt. Joselito Salido as saying that a group of unidentified suspects had allegedly taken the Malaysian hostages to the shores of Sitankai, Tawi-Tawi before they were transferred to Sulu.
Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar tweeted that federal police have still not received a report on the incident.
“We are still waiting for confirmation from the Philippines,” he said.
On April 1, brothers Wong Teck Kang, 31, and Teck Chii, 29, their cousin, Johnny Lau, 21, and the fourth man, Wong Hung Sing, 34, were abducted at gunpoint on a tugboat while returning to Sarawak from the Philippines. They were released last week.
