New Straits Times

‘THEY THREATENED TO

Victim relates how they were treated like slaves and lived in fear

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MELISSA DARLYNE CHOW AND TEOH PEI YING KUALA LUMPUR news@nst.com.my

THE two Malaysians, who were rescued from Philippine-based terrorist group Abu Sayyaf in Sulu last week, said they were treated like slaves and lived in constant fear of being beheaded or shot over the past eight months.

Tayudin Anjut, 45, said they were threatened with execution every day.

“The kidnappers threatened to behead and shoot us if we disobeyed them.

“We were ordered to serve them. We cooked for them and ate leftovers.”

He said they were not given much to eat.

“Sometimes, it was rice, and sometimes, it was bread.”

But, one thing he was thankful for was that the hostages were never beaten up.

“All they wanted was money,” he said at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s residence in Taman Duta yesterday morning.

Tayudin said he and Abdul Rahim Summas, 62, did not know they were going to be freed.

“We (including three other Malaysians) were all kept and moved together.

“We always moved (with the Abu Sayyaf group) at night. It (our release) happened so sudden. We did not even know how it happened.

“We thought we were just being moved somewhere else... We didn’t know we were separated from the other three,” he said.

He said they were brought out by villagers on a boat and rescued by the Philippine army.

Tayudin and Rahim were reunited with their families at Najib’s residence.

Tayudin said they were kept in the forest and were always on the run.

“Most of the time, they blindfolde­d us. This caused my eyesight to deteriorat­e. I can barely see now.

“We suffered body ache and pain due to the work we had to do,” he said.

Asked whether he would return to sea after his health improved, he said:

“We will see when the time comes.”

Tayudin was overcome with emotion when he was reunited with his wife, Gustiah Sultan, 47, and two children Nur Erin Farisha, 13, and Mohd Fahrin, 5.

Rahim, who was traumatise­d, could barely talk to the reporters.

However, he thanked the authoritie­s profusely.

The two men will be treated at first class wards at Selayang Hospital.

Last Thursday, Tayudin and Rahim were rescued by Philippine security forces after Abu Sayyaf members freed them at a mangrove area in Barangay Karudong in Kalinggala­ng Caluang, Sulu.

The five Malaysians were reported missing last year after the tugboat, Serudong 3, was found abandoned in Dent Haven, off Lahad Datu, on July 18.

 ?? PIC BY YAZIT RAZALI ?? Tayudin Anjut hugging his wife and two children at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s residence in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
PIC BY YAZIT RAZALI Tayudin Anjut hugging his wife and two children at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s residence in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
 ?? PIC BY SYARAFIQ ABD SAMAD ?? Abdul Rahim Summas’ daughter hugging him at Najib’s residence yesterday.
PIC BY SYARAFIQ ABD SAMAD Abdul Rahim Summas’ daughter hugging him at Najib’s residence yesterday.

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