Off the wire
• Gold price closes down in Hong Kong  • 1st LD-Writethru: Chinese shares advance on Monday after IPO resumption  • Beijing IPR court accepts nearly 8,000 cases since operation  • China's rural areas to benefit more from e-commerce  • Talks between Nepal's gov't, Madhes-based parties deferred  • Urgent: Myanmar's election commission announces first series of election result  • Cross-border RMB flows, capital market connectivity between China, S'pore to strengthen: authority  • Foreign exchange rates in Hong Kong  • Hong Kong stocks close down  • (Recast) Interview: Technology, innovation leads Aussie farmers to high production, says federation chief  
You are here: 　 Home

1 of 2 Malaysian hostages released by Abu Sayyaf

Xinhua, November 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

Chief Minister of Malaysian state of Sabah Musa Aman confirmed on Monday that one of the two hostages kidnapped by Philippine abductors in May has been released, according to Bernama, Malaysia's state news agency.

Musa said the release of Thien Nyuk Fun, the 50-year-old manager of a restaurant in Sandakan of Sabah, was the result of months of negotiations and coordinated effort among relevant authorities at many levels to secure her release.

"I wish to thank all of them (authorities) for working hard to bring Thien home," he said in a statement, adding that relevant authorities should remain vigilant and keep the country's borders secure from further intrusion.

Sabah Police Commissioner Abdul Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said the hostage was released at about 10 p.m. local time on Sunday and had come back to Sandakan safely.

Thien and 39-year-old Bernard Then Ted Fen were abducted in May by a group of armed men from a restaurant in Sandakan, and held captive in southern Philippines by the Abu Sayyaf militants.

Malaysian English language newspaper The Star said tense discussions have been going on to secure the freedom of the second hostage. Enditem