Malaysian police operation rescues abducted Indonesians from kidnappers

MALAYSIA: Penang state police, in collaboration with their counterparts from Selangor and Perak, successfully thwarted a kidnapping attempt and carried out a dramatic rescue of two Indonesian nationals.

The rescue operation took place approximately 400 kilometres away in the Klang Valley, where the victims had reportedly been abducted while in Penang.

The incident occurred eight days ago, but within the following 48 hours, law enforcement rescued the victims upon receiving a report from one of the victims’ Indonesian husbands.

The husband provided crucial information, revealing that the kidnappers, all of Malaysian nationality, had demanded a ransom of RM540,000 (US$115,000) for the safe release of the two foreign nationals.

During a press conference, State Police Chief Datuk Khaw Kok Chin disclosed that the operation had been codenamed “Op Scorpion.”

He commended his fellow officers for their professionalism in executing the safe rescue of the two victims.

In the course of the operation, the police apprehended 14 suspects and confiscated various equipment associated with the kidnapping, including four vehicles: a Honda CRV, a Honda HRV, a Mitsubishi Grandis, and a Toyota Vios.

Additionally, they seized 23 smartphones, RM4,800 in cash, bank cards, and clothing.

Khaw explained that the 14 suspects were remanded for investigation under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961, which carries a potential sentence of up to 40 years in prison and whipping if they are found guilty.

Khaw further revealed that there were mitigating circumstances involved, including the belief that the victim’s husband had borrowed money from the kidnappers and, when unable to repay it promptly, the suspects resorted to extreme measures as a form of retribution.

The police obtained a lead when the husband initially paid RM50,750 as part of the initial ransom with the hope of negotiating his wife’s release.

However, the kidnappers refused to negotiate and insisted on the full sum of RM540,000.

Subsequently, the police made the decision to intervene and rescue the two Indonesians who were being held captive.

They meticulously tracked the movement of the ransom money, eventually locating the kidnappers.

The abductors, ranging in age from 20 to 70, with five of them having prior criminal records, had been constantly relocating the victims from one house to another to evade detection.

They had recently brought the victims to a location in Shah Alam, where a specialised police commando unit swiftly intervened to rescue them.

Khaw noted that the victims had sustained injuries and bruises due to the trauma inflicted by the abductors during their ordeal.

He emphasised that people should refrain from resorting to violence to resolve monetary disputes, emphasising that legal avenues should always be pursued, as individuals should not take matters into their own hands.