KUCHING: The Malaysian Embassy in Cambodia and Wisma Putra are currently helping to arrange the documentation for all the 47 Malaysians who have been freed from the Banteay Mancheay detention centre, according to the director of the Sarawak regional office of the Foreign Ministry, Deddy Faisal Ahmad Salleh.
All the Malaysian detainees had been freed yesterday evening after several negotiations between the Cambodian and Malaysian governments.
Deddy Faisal, who was also with the Sarawak government delegation which was still in Cambodia to meet the 47 Malaysians involved, said the business of documentation was expected to be completed at the latest by today, seeing as some detainees did not have passports.
‘’They said their passports had been taken and kept by the syndicate offering the jobs before they were locked in a house. To date, there is no obstacle in the documentations,’’ he said when contacted by Bernama, here today.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said he was thankful that all the detainees had been released.
‘’Thank you to Wisma Putra, Temporary Charge de Affair at the Malaysian Embassy in Phnom Penh, the Cambodian Government and Special Duties Senior Minister of Cambodia, Datuk Dr Othsman Hassan.
‘’We followed the international protocol during the negotiation process between Malaysia and Cambodia. Thankful, all efforts had borne fruit and all the detainees can at last return home,’’ he said.
He said the Sarawak government was discussing providing a flight to bring home the Malaysians to Kuching tomorrow.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ibrahim said in Kuala Lumpur that those who had been freed would return to the national capital tomorrow. — Bernama
