Chinese tourist kidnapped in Malaysia is rescued by security forces

A Chinese tourist and a Filipino worker have been rescued nearly two months after they were abducted from a resort off Borneo island, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said yesterday.

Najib credited their release to cooperation between Malaysian and Philippine security forces and said no ransom was paid.

Malaysian officials earlier said the kidnappers had demanded a ransom of 500 million pesos (HK$88 million) for Gao Huayun, the Chinese hostage.

Gunmen, thought to be Philippine Abu Sayyaf militants, kidnapped the Shanghai woman, 28, and the Filipino woman, Marcy Dayawan, 40, from the Singamata Reef Resort in the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah on April 2.

Gao was heard screaming, "I don't want to go" in English when being taking away by three men with M14 automatic rifles.

They were believed to have been taken to the southern Philippines.

"No ransom paid to secure their release. Success due to co-operation of Malaysia and Philippines security forces. I thank all involved," Najib tweeted.