THE group responsible for the kidnapping of two Indonesians in waters off Semporna, Sabah a week ago has demanded a RM4 million ransom.

Sabah Police commissioner Omar Mammah said the matter came to light following a telephone call by one of the captors to his wife in Sulawesi, Indonesia.

“The captor had told his wife back in Indonesia that the kidnappers were asking RM4 million for their release.

“That’s about RM2 million each,” said Omar, adding that this was based on information provided by their police counterparts in Indonesia.

Omar said this after a police event at the Sabah Police Contingent Headquarters in Kota Kinabalu, today.

On September 11, two Indonesians working for a Sabah fishing firm based in Semporna were kidnapped near Pulau Bogaya, in Sabah’s east coast.

The men were part of a four-man crew including the skipper working onboard the fishing vessel.

The kidnappers had used pump boats while carrying out the kidnapping.

Meanwhile, Omar said the proposal to lift the ban on pump boats for coastal fishing is still being studied by the government.

“There will be several more meetings to hash out the issues regarding the use of pump boats and the guidelines for fishermen as part of the lifting of the ban.

“We will see and listen to the justifications on the use of pump boats and if the need is much stronger, we are only the authority who will heed the decision of the government,” he said. – September 25, 2018.