Chinese Tourist & Filipino Worker Abducted in Sabah

Whoever is responsible for this round of abduction has been doing this for years. That area has a history of abductions for ransom. It seems like these criminals have made a career out of this despicable act. I would venture to say that it is an act of terrorism. I wonder how a group of armed men is able to terrorize a country, which has military forces, for so many years. Apparently, according to some online news, there are still hostages in thier hands dating back years.

So much for Visit Malaysia Year... crime, haze, water crisis, invasions, missing plane, abductions – when it rains, it really pours!

Let's hope both of the hostages - Gao Huayuan, 29, a tourist from Shanghai and Marcy Dayawan, 40, a Filipina hotel employee, are safe and will be released soon.

Gao Huayuan, 29, a tourist from Shanghai

---

Chinese national, Filipino, abducted near Semporna

KOTA KINABALU: Two women, a Chinese national and a Filipino, were abducted from a resort located off Semporna last night, Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) director general Datuk Mohammad Mentek said.

They were at the resort jetty when a group of men, including one who was armed with a pistol, landed and took them away at about 10.30pm.

The jetty was the was the furthest point from the resort, which is built on stilts in shallow waters or commonly known as a floating resort, located less than 30 minutes by boat from Semporna town.

At the time there were other guests and staff at the resort.

On November 15 last year, another kidnapping incident occurred when armed man landed on Pom-Pom island near Semporna and killed a Taiwanese tourist and abducted his wife. The wife was later rescued by Philippines security forces on Dec 20.

Read more: Chinese national, Filipino, abducted near Semporna - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/chinese-national-filipino-abducted-near-semporna-1.546961#ixzz2xqYDta00

---

China demands Malaysia ensure safety of Chinese after kidnap

Some Malaysian media reports said the 29-year old tourist was in her room when the gunmen forced her out into a waiting boat. Those reports were unclear where the hotel worker, aged 40, was when she was abducted. Other reports said both women were on a jetty when they were snatched.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a regular news briefing in Beijing that its consulate in Malaysian Borneo had demanded "that local police fully put into effect rescue work on the basis of guaranteeing safety and to ensure the safety of Chinese tourists there."

"The Chinese foreign ministry will pay close attention to how the situation develops," he added.

 - http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/03/us-malaysia-abduction-idUSBREA3207B20140403
 

---

Abductions in Semporna could be deliberate act to sour Malaysia-China ties: Najib

PERTH/SEMPORNA - Malaysia is not ruling out the possibility that the latest abductions at a resort off Semporna, Sabah, are a deliberate act to sour the country's relations with China.

The Star newspaper quoted Prime Minister Najib Razak as saying on Thursday that the fact that one of those kidnapped was a Chinese national could further strain the already tense situation, following the Malaysia Airlines MH370 crisis.

- http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/se-asia/story/abductions-semporna-could-be-deliberate-act-sour-malaysia-china-ties-naj 

---

Semporna resort kidnap: China's netizens call for rationality in comments

On Wednesday, Gao Huayuan, 29, a tourist from Shanghai, was taken along with Filipina hotel employee Marcy Dayawan, 40, in a raid by about six gunmen at around 10:30pm. There were 58 other Chinese tourists at the resort.

- http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/04/03/semporna-resort-kidnap-chinese-netizens-call-for-rational-voice/