Estate Manager and Asst abducted at LD oil palm estate
Published on: Friday, November 16, 2012
Kota Kinabalu: Police are investigating the motive behind the kidnapping of two men at their family's oil palm estate in Kg Manakayang, about 50km from Lahad Datu town, late Wednesday. State Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib told a press conference at his office, Thursday, that the victims have been identified as the 33-year-old estate manager and his assistant manager, aged 25, both members of the Tong family who are from West Malaysia and who own the 1,000-acre estate. Hamza said based on police investigations so far the incident is just a kidnapping with no connection to politics or extremists, adding as far as he is concerned the security situation in the State is still very much under control.
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He said the incident happened between 3.30pm-4.30pm while the two were working with two other workers inside the family's swiftlet house in the estate. He said a group of five men, one said to be wearing a face mask, armed with at least one long firearm stormed into the swiftlet house and dragged the two out. Then the group led the two victims on foot to a boat about two kilometres from the scene and after getting into it, immediately sped off towards the open sea. The two workers, one of them a foreigner, were left unharmed. The kidnappers also made off with some RM24,000 worth of jewellery, wristwatches, handphones as well as two keys to two four-wheel-drive vehicles.Hamza said a search was mounted by police including its Air Wing Unit after the victims' family lodged a report at Cenderawasih police station, in the same district, at 6.45pm.
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Their counterparts in the neighbouring countries have been alerted. Lahad Datu is very near the Philippines' Bungao island. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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We are investigating from all angles, as well as the workers at the estate," he said, believing it may not have been the work of outsiders because "if it is by outsiders, why was one wearing a face mask."
