Former Moro leader behind Mabul kidnapping, says Zahid

Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic) has named former Moro National Liberation Front leader Nur Misuari as the man behind the latest armed incursion in Mabul Island.

The Home Minister was quoted by English-language daily New Straits Times as saying that investigations showed the fugitive was using various mercenary groups to conduct operations in Sabah's eastern coast.

"We believe he has a bigger plan behind all this," Zahid was quoted as saying in the report in Kuching today.

Zahid said Putrajaya is working closely with its counterparts in Philippines to combat the kidnappings by Sulu terrorists in the islands off the coast of eastern Sabah.

In the latest incursion last Saturday night, a policeman was killed while another was kidnapped by gunmen dressed in military fatigue.

Corporal Abdul Rajah Jamuan, 32, was shot dead in an ambush at the Mabul Water Bungalows Resort while his colleague, Constable Zakiah Aleip, was kidnapped by eight gunmen.

The gunmen were reported to have fled to southern Philippines.

Three weeks ago, a fish farm operator in Kampung Air Sapang in Sabah's east coast town of Kunak was kidnapped by armed men believed to be Suluks.

In May, Chinese national Yang Zai Lin, 34, was abducted by five gunmen from a fish farm in Pulau Baik.

Yang was the manager of the fish farm owned by Wonderful Terrace Sdn Bhd, a Hong Kong-based company.

Despite engaging the police special action unit in a shootout, the gunmen managed to evade authorities and fled towards southern Philippines.

In another incident last March, 29-year-old Chinese national Gao Hua Yun and 40-year-old Marcy Dayawan @ Mimi from the Philippines were abducted from the Singamata Reef Resort off Semporna.

Both were freed after a ransom was allegedly paid to the kidnappers, although Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said no ransom had been paid.

- TMI