S'WAK POLLS More than 450 people at a ceramah organised by the DAP at Pelawan in Sibu last night were caught in an teary moment as family members of four people kidnapped off the coast of Sabah kneeled down on stage during a DAP ceramah.

The emcees first introduced 10 of them on the stage and called on the people to provide some financial help for to them to pay the ransom the kidnappers demanded.

Unexpectedly, an elderly person among the 10 kneeled on the stage and looked pleadingly at the audience. His act was then followed by the other family members.

Many members of the audience were seen to be teary as the family members of the four kidnapped victims remained kneeling down for about a minute and raised placards that read "What can we do, who can help us to save our grandson?" and "Please extend your helping hand, public, save our children".

The DAP officials also announced that all donations from the ceramah would be directed to the family members.

The family members are native to Sibu.

Later, the family members said the amount of ransom the kidnappers demanded was too high and put them in a extremely difficult situation.

Some members of the audience also went up to the stage to hand out cash to them.

It is understood that the family members have also gone to seek help from BN direct candidate Tiong Thai King.

Earlier this month, four Malaysians - Wong Teck Pang, Wong Teck Chi, Wong Hung Song and Lau Jung Hien - were abducted in the waters off Semporna, Sabah.

Lau is a cousin of DAP’s Lanang MP Alice Lau Kiong Yieng, whereas Teck Pang and Tech Chi are relatives of Lau and are from Sibu.

The four victims were kidnapped by eight armed men in the waters off Semporna, while returning to Malaysia from the Philippines.