Abducted man home after 378 days in captivity
KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 — A Malaysian national, Mohd Nazarrudin Saidin, returned home safely today, 378 days after being abducted by a group of armed men on Sulu Island, the Philippines, on May 8 last year.
Mohd Nazarrudin, 39, arrived at the KL International Airport from Sandakan, Sabah, this morning accompanied by members of the Putera 1 Malaysia Club.
Mohd Nazarrudin, from Sungai Buloh, Selangor, was reported to have escaped from his kidnappers with the help of villagers who provided him with a boat to return to Malaysian waters near Sandakan.
Describing the experience as unforgettable, Mohd Nazarrudin, who lost almost 10kg, said: “I just want to start over and try to forget the incident.”
Mohd Nazarrudin is father to Amir Hazazi, 16, Nur Amira, 15, Nur Atiqah, 13, Nabil Haikal, 12, Adib Irfan, eight and Nur Athirah, five.
Meanwhile, Putera 1 Malaysia Club president Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim said they had been negotiating with the kidnappers to release Mohd Nazarrudin for almost seven months.
“It was a dangerous effort and we didn’t think that we could rescue him.
“However, we managed to get cooperation from the villagers and with their connection, we managed to bring Mohd Nazarrudin home without having to pay any ransom,” he told reporters here.
Abdul Azeez said the club would also help Nazarrudin to find a job to support his family. — Bernama
