Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee has approved an emergency motion by Raime Unggi (BN-Tenom) to debate the recent kidnappings in Sabah today.

 

He said he was satisfied with the motion and that it was to be presented for 30 minutes from 4.30pm, with another 30 minutes for debate.

 

On May 14, two people were kidnapped from a restaurant in Sandakan by four armed men dressed in military fatigues and using a speedboat.

 

The victims Rhien Nyuk Fun, 50 and Bernard Then Ted Fen, 39, are believed to be held in the Philippines.

 

The gunmen have reportedly contacted the victims' families, and demanded a large ransom, although the exact amount has not been disclosed.

 

Sabah police commissioner Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman has claimed the abductions were an inside job.

 

Kidnappings in Sabah are a hot issue, with critics questioning the effectiveness of the Eastern Sabah Security Command's (Esscom) capabilities to protect Sabah's porous eastern border.

MP at the scene

Stephen Wong (DAP-Sandakan) however was a bit sore that the House approved Raime's emergency motion, but not the earlier one he submitted on the same matter.

"I faxed the motion (on Friday) and was informed that it had been received. [...] it was supposed to be debated yesterday, but I got a letter from the speaker that it could not be debated as another motion was being debated.

"I then immediately resubmitted my motion, but today the motion was overtaken by Tenom (Raime)," he said at a press conference at the Parliament lobby.

He said he was at the scene of the kidnapping the night it occurred and thus it should be him, as the Sandakan MP, to raise the motion.