Gunmen,
armed with three M-16 rifles, robbed three fishermen of their outboard motors
close to Sungai Bilis near Semporna, Sabah in east Malaysia at 11pm on Sunday, reported the Star.
Authorities
were alerted to the incident after a police patrol team came across the three
victims paddling back to the coast today.
The victims
later lodged separate police reports and stated that they had been robbed of
two 15-horsepower motors and one pump boat motor, the Star reported.
Both police
and Esscom officers are investigating if the pirates were locals or foreigners.Patrols in the area have also been increased to track down the robbers, who could be beyond Malaysia's borders.
Sabah police chief Datuk Hamza Taib confirmed the incident.
Tanjung Labian was the centre of operations by Malaysian security forces last year following the Lahad Datu intrusion by armed Sulu terrorists.
Esscom is already under a lot of pressure following two incidents in which foreigners were abducted from
Semporna by Abu Sayyaf gunmen.
In early
March, 29-year-old Gao Hua Yun from Shanghai and 40-year-old Marcy Dayawan @
Mimi were abducted from the Singgahmata Reef Resort in Semporna.
The incident
occurred several months after a Taiwanese national, Chang An Wei, 57, had been
abducted by armed men from Pom Pom island.
In the
November incident, Chang's companion, Li Min Hsu, 57, died after being shot several
times by the armed men.
In the
November incident, Chang's companion, Li Min Hsu, 57, died after being shot several
times by the armed men.
Chang was
freed a month later in December after a sizable ransom was reportedly paid for
her release.
The fate of Gao and Marcy, however, is still not known although it is learned that the kidnappers have already made their ransom demands.
The fate of Gao and Marcy, however, is still not known although it is learned that the kidnappers have already made their ransom demands.
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