Negotiations underway with kidnappers to free 5 Malaysian tugboat crew - Nur Jazlan

Negotiations are underway with the abductors of the five Malaysian tugboat crew who went missing after their boat was found abandoned in the waters off Dent Haven, Tambisan near Lahad Datu on Monday.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said Malaysian authorities know who is involved in the kidnapping and negotiations are ongoing for the release of the five Malaysians.

"Right now I ask family members of those kidnapped not to divulge any information about the communication between the authorities and the kidnappers.

"We do not want the information to encourage the kidnappers to continue carrying out such activities," he told reporters after the National Sovereignty Medal Presentation Ceremony to 316 members of the Sabah Prisons Department here today.

He was commenting on the latest development on the five missing Malaysian sailors believed to have been taken hostage by kidnappers from the southern Philippines.

Four of the five crew members are from Tawau and one from Felda Jengka, Pahang.

Asked whether it was necessary to provide immediate additional assets and personnel in the state's waters following the latest incident, Nur Jazlan said it was one of the steps taken by the government but that monitoring the extensive waters off Sabah was not easy.

He said what is important is the cooperation from operators of commercial activities who use the waters of the eastern state near the border with the neighbouring country.

He said these business people should notify the movement of their boats and ships to the security forces and not use water routes where there is always the risk of being kidnapped.