SIBU: Townsfolk here expressed their sympathy on Monday night as crowds of peope pooled their efforts to save the four hostages from Sibu who are currently still in the hands of militants in Southern Philippines.

Nine family members made the appeal for donations online before going around town on Monday night.

Relatives of the hostages set up a team in a coffeeshop at Delta Estate, and after members of the public learnt about the donation plea online, they thronged the coffeeshop, causing a traffic jam in the neighbourhood.

As this was going on, the nine family members went to three political talks held by SUPP at Tiong Hua Road, DAP in Ulu Sungai Merah and Datuk Tiong Thai King at Lanang Road, kneeling on stage and pleading for help.

Among them were the parents of the hostages and one of their grandparents.

Members of the public who spoke to The Borneo Post said they were moved to tears by the actions of the hostages’ families.

The families have resorted to such a move after one of the hostages, Wong Teck Kang, called his father Chee Ming two days ago, pleading for help.

The conversation between father and son went viral on the internet.

SUPP Bukit Assek Branch youth chief Joseph Chieng, when contacted, confirmed that the family members of the hostages had approached them when SUPP candidate for Bukit Assek Chieng Buong Toon – his father – was speaking on stage.

“One of them made their purpose of going to the ceramah known, then knelt down to plead. My father immediately helped him up, assuring that he would help. At the same time, he assured them he would contact party president Dr Sim Kui Hian to look into ways to help them,” Joseph related.

Joseph confirmed that his father chipped in financially too, and they had asked the family to wait until the end of the talk to see what other form of help they could offer.

Photographs of the family members kneeling in public went viral within two hours.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Raymond Tan and Philip Wong

If you have any stories or news that you would like to share with the global online community, please feel free to share it with us by contacting us directly at [email protected]