Self-proclaimed “Sultan” of Sabah, Datu Mudarasulail Kiram, has claimed credit for helping secure the release of the two Malaysian Chinese hostages – Tsen Vui Chung, 42, and Lai Wing Chau, 33, - who were kidnapped 10 months ago by Filipino Muslims.
Although an FMT request for a face-to-face interview with Mudarasulail was declined "for security reasons", the "Sultan" did however agree to a short telephone interview.
"I'm in Kuala Lumpur now... I have always been of assistance to the Malaysian authorities," he said to a question on where he is.
Asked if he helped to facilitate the release of the hostages, Mudarasulail gave an affirmitive "of course."
Unconfirmed sources had earlier told FMT that the "Sultan" was being hosted by the American embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Asked to confirm this, the Mudarasulail said: "Yes". At this point, he terminated the conversation.
A secret US embassy cable, leaked to online whistle-blower WikiLeaks, had reportedly disclosed that southern Philippines was becoming the “favoured tilling ground” of terrorist group al-Qaeda.
Mudrasulail and his brothers - “Sultan” Yidon Kiram of Palawan and Tawi-Tawi and “Sultan” Muedzulail Kiram of Jolo, Sulu - are well known among the Muslims who dominate this region and who also reside in Sabah.
The timing of Mudrasulail's claim had strategically coincided with the appointment of the new Sabah governor or TYT.
Sources said the “timing” was possibly to underline a message of usefulness of the “Sultan” of Sabah vis-a-vis the ceremonial role of the TYT.
The “Sultan” also bestows “datu-ship” but these awards were not recognized by the Council of Datuks in Malaysia.
Sources say RM2m ransom paid
According to Philipines police director-general Raul Bacalzo both Tsen and Lai were found on the coast of Bongao town in the Tawi-Tawi province, 1,020km south of Manila and appeared to have been "abandoned by their kidnappers." He declined to say more.
Philipines authorties meanwhile confirmed that the kidnappers had escaped "even though they were surrounded”.
They also denied knowledge of any ransom paid for the release of Tsen and Lai
But sources close to the situation said Malaysian police officers had gone to Mindanao in the southern Philippines last week to negotiate the release of the duo in time for Christmas.
A source said that RM2million in ransom was paid for their release.
The kidnappers, believed to be Muslim terrorists, grabbed Tsen and Lai from a seaweed farming venture on Pulau Sebangkat, an island off Sabah’s Semporna coast to Southern Philippines 10 months ago on Feb 8.
Malaysian police had initially downplayed the kidnapping insisting that both Tsen and Lai were still in Sabah and that it was a normal criminal case.
But months later after setting up listening posts in the homes of the hostages and based on telephone calls received, they conceded that the hostages were possibly not in Sabah.
As the manhunt in Sabah came to naught, the Sabah state government came under heavy criticism for its seemingly nonchalant attitude.
The opposition on its end had been preparing to flag the kidnapping, vis-a-vis security along Sabah's coast, as election fodder.
But with the release, the government of Chief Minister Musa Aman had removed a potential sore point with the public on the security of Sabah.
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