Gov't still waiting for confirmation on Bernard Then's beheading - Ahmad Zahid

The government have yet to receive confirmation from the Philippine authorities on allegations that a Malaysian was beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf militant group in Mindanao, yesterday.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said although the matter was already revealed by the intelligence division, but it was still awaiting for the official information.

"The information is from Mindanao, but we have not received official confirmation, and I have asked the Inspector General of Police to obtain valid information from the Philippine authorities.

"Wait, even though information from our intelligence sources suggests that there is truth to this news," he told reporters after officiating the Asean Young Leaders Summit at the Putra World Trade Centre on Wednesday.

Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar in his Twitter posting Tuesday night said the Malaysian Royal Police was still making efforts to get confirmation from the Southern Philippines authorities.

The Singapore Straits Times on its online news at www.straitstimes.com reported that "Brigadier-General Alan Arrojado, commander of the Joint Task Group Sulu said Bernard Then was beheaded at around 4pm at a remote Abu Sayyaf stronghold in Jolo island in Sulu province, some 1,400km south of the capital Manila.

On May 14, a woman Thien Nyuk Fun, 50, and Bernard Then Ted Fen, 39, were kidnapped by four armed men who stormed the Ocean King Restaurant in Sandakan at 7.45pm.

On Nov 8, Thien, the restaurant manager, was released by the abductors following negotiation the Malaysian authorities and her captors.