Malaysia will not pay a ransom to secure the release of three men believed kidnapped by Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines, Defence Minister Najib Abdul Razak said today.

"We are firm in our stand not to entertain any demands for ransom money," Najib was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

But Najib said Kuala Lumpur would liase with Manila to secure their freedom.

Najib made the comments when asked about a demand from the Abu Sayyaf group for RM3 million for the release of two Malaysians and an Indonesian it abducted.

The three, Sam Walterpel of Indonesia and Malaysians Wong Sien Nung and Toh Chien Tiong, had been manning a barge carrying a cargo of pebbles when they were kidnapped on April 13.

They were later taken to the Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi group of islands near the Philippines' sea border with Malaysia.

The Malaysian and Philippine governments have said they believed the kidnappers were from the Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim extremist group linked by the United States and the Philippines to the Al-Qaeda terror network.

The group is feared for a series of bombings and kidnappings for ransom, mostly targeting foreigners and Christians in the southern Philippines. - AFP