KOTA KINABALU: Gunmen who abducted a restaurant owner and a customer in Sandakan have reduced their ransom demand to about RM15 million per person from the initial RM30 million.
Sabah police commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said police monitoring the situation, adding the authority is still in the process of negotiating.
“We hope they (kidnappers) could be considerate of their victims because they could not afford to pay the large amount of money.
“Initially, the kidnappers had set up RM30 million for the release of each victim but after several negotiations, the amount was reduced to a certain per cent… more than 50 per cent,” he told reporters after the State police headquarters Raya Open House in Kepayan.
On May 14, gunmen stormed well-known Ocean King Seafood Restaurant in Sandakan and abducted the owner Thien Nyuk Fun and her customer Bernard Thed Ten Fen.
The gunmen escaped to the southern Philippines undetected. Thien has been reported to have suffered from diabetes.
Jalaluddin stressed Thien’s medical need has been taken care of, adding the duo was currently being kept in captivity in the interior of southern Philippines.
“It is difficult to trace their whereabout but they are safe. We have been in constant communication with the other side as well as family members.”
Meanwhile, the 7pm to 5am curfew within the Eastern Sabah Safety Zone has been extended until August 21.
Jalaluddin stressed the extension was necessary as there were still threats from kidnap group for ransom and Abu Sayyaf members who plan to enter Sabah to carry out crime.