KUCHING: Five locals from Kampung Danau, Melikin, were kidnapped by Indonesian soldiers last week.
Based on a police report made on December 12, five of the local men were loading their harvested wood into their vehicle, at Wong Rangkai forestry area in Melikin, which was about 300m from the border.
The five were approached by two armed Indonesian military clad in army attire, believed to be soldiers posted at Sungai Enteli control post in Indonesia.
The five were accused of illegal logging in Indonesian forestry area and were brought to the soldiers’ command post in a 4-wheel-drive vehicle at gun point.
With their eyes covered with cloth, the victims were reportedly roughed-up, punched and tortured using a rotan stick.
Sometime later the same day, two the victims were released but not before they were forced to admit guilty and told not to inform the authorities.
They were told to go home and raise RM10,000 and get two new chainsaw machines in exchange for the release of their three comrades.
However, on reaching home, the duo headed for the Balai Ringin military command, who took up their case and talked to the Indonesians.
The remaining three were released at 4pm the next day.
The Serian crime investigation department had informed the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) that the TNI Commander was informed about this matter and he had promised that action will be taken on their side.
On December 14, a follow up visit was made by both ATM and TNI, together with the local villagers to the incident site, which was about 400m from the border, and the reported kidnapping happened on Malaysian soil.
The case was considered settled with the return of the vehicles to the victims.
