After 30 years, Malaysian finally meets sister rescued from slavery in London

The sister of Malaysian Siti Aishah Wahab, who was rescued from slavery with two other women in London on October 25, has met her at an undisclosed location in London.

Former teacher Kamar Mahtum (pic, right), 73, arrived in London on Tuesday and had since then been trying to meet Siti Aishah who dropped off the radar in the early 1970s after she joined a leftist group run by Aruvindan Balakrishnan, 73, and his wife, Chanda Pattni, 67.

Astro Awani reported Malaysian High Commissioner Datuk Seri Zakaria Sulong confirmed that Kamar had met Siti Aishah.

"Kamar Mahtum gave Aishah a prayer rug. Aishah was asked to write to her family in Malaysia," he was reported as saying, and did not give any more details.

Siti Aishah, 69, was rescued along with two other women from a flat in south London after reportedly being held against her will for 30 years. The rescue was made public by London police last week.

“Aishah we love you very much, we miss you and have been missing you desperately all these years. In our family’s ups and downs in life, we always thought that it would have been a very great difference if you had been there," she read from a letter addressed to Siti Aishah before the meeting took place yesterday.

Kamar was quoted as saying by The Telegraph, “I hope from this letter and the fact that I came here to London will make my sister realise that she is loved by her family. It is my sincere dream and my hope that soon we can be reunited and we can catch up all the years we have lost.”

Zakaria had then assured Kamar he would help Siti Aishah if she wished to return home.

"We have not yet been able to meet her because the police investigation is still ongoing and is very complex and lengthy. Our main concern is her welfare and her safety. If she is a Malaysian and she wants to come home, we will extend every assistance possible as we would with any of our citizens.

“Like many young people she made some wrong choices, but she has not committed a crime," he said, referring to the arrest warrant issued against Siti Aishah in the 1970s for being part of a leftist movement.

Meanwhile, in another development yesterday, The Star reported that Siti Aishah has been warded after suffering a stroke, and is now recuperating.

Her niece revealed yesterday that she was informed by a relative in London but there was no information on which hospital she was admitted to.

“We have been told that my aunt is in a stable condition,” she was quoted as saying.