SANDAKAN: The wife of a local fisherman, who was kidnapped from Pegasus Reef waters near Kinabatangan here, last year, has appealed to the Malaysian authorities to rescue her husband.
Nadin Junianti Najiri, 25, claimed she was contacted by the kidnapper who told her no representatives from the Malaysian government have communicated with them to negotiate the release of her 34-year-old husband Jari Abdullah until today.
She also claimed that the caller, who spoke in Malay language but not fluent, threatened that her husband would be in a ‘difficult’ situation if there was no negotiation with the Malaysian government.
“This is the second time we were contacted by them. They said he (Jari) is now in a difficult situation as the people there (kidnappers in the Philippine) have gotten angry.
“We don’t know what else to do and who to turn to for help. Please help save him (Jari),” Nadin said when contacted today, adding that she received the latest call this morning.
She also claimed that the caller had also asked for the phone number of local reporters from Sabah.
In Dec 6, last year, Jari along with two fishermen, who are Indonesians, were reported missing believed kidnapped from their boat while fishing at Pegasus Reef Kinabatangan here. The other Indonesians are identified as Heri Ardiansyah, 19, and Hariadin, 45.
A day earlier, four armed men stormed a vessel carrying 12 crewmembers – two Malaysians and 11 Indonesians – at the same location of Pegasus Reef.
In the incident, the armed men opened fire, which hit a skipper. However, all crewmembers were reported safe and not missing.
Meanwhile, Sabah police commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah, when contacted said, Malaysian security forces are working with the Philippine’s authorities in the effort to rescue the kidnap victims.