Gustiah accompanied by her relatives during interview yesterday.
TAWAU: The armed men who kidnapped the five Malaysian sailors of tugboat ‘Serudong 3’ in waters off Dent Haven, Tambisan, Lahad Datu on Monday, were believed to have contacted their Tawau-based employer and asked for a ransom of about RM20 million (200 million peso).
The Borneo Post learnt that one of the sailors, Tayudin Anjut, 45, who is an engineer, had contacted his employer and the call was picked up by the company’s boss who had asked for their location and condition.
Tayudin replied that they were in good condition at Basilan, Southern Philippines.
The company boss further asked what they (the armed men) wanted and Tayudin said they wanted a ransom of 200 million pesos.
Tayudin’s wife, Gustiah Sultan, 46, who was interviewed at their house at Kampung Tanjung Batu Darat here yesterday, said her husband was supposed to return home on July 19.
She had met him for the last time at about 2pm on July 11 when she was sending him to Semporna for sailing.
Their last call was on the afternoon of July 16, and they also called on the night of July 17, but there was no answer.
Gustiah, a full-time housewife, lost consciousness and collapsed after being told by her neighbours that her husband and other sailors were missing from their tugboat after it was found drifting about 2pm on July 18.
She had tried to call her husband three times at 3.40pm but failed to get through.
Her number that was set in Tayudin’s handphone emerged as ‘Mamak’.
She also tried to call the special contact number of the tugboat but it could not be reached.
“Tayudin is a lovely and friendly man who likes to play with the kids and help with housework.
“He will back home for two or three days weekly and I will pick him up at Tawau Bus Station with the kids, as usual.
“Based on initial information, I was thinking that my husband must have been abducted. I could not sleep well at night and I often commute to Tanjung Batu Ortentik (information station), even stay overnight at my neighbour’s house near Ortentik with my kids.
“I have also met his employer in Lahad Datu Police Station on July 19 and I expressed my gratitude to them for their concern. In the meantime, I really pray that Tayudin could be released safely and healthily as soon as possible,” she explained.
According to her, this was the third incident encountered by Tayudin. The first incident happened when their boat sank at Sg Sibuku, Tarakan and he managed to escape by jumping into the sea.
The second incident was when the MV Zuhairi ferry they were on collided with the tugboat ‘Serudung 3’, just a few metres away from the jetty in Semporna in January this year, Gustiah recalled.
Gustiah is ready to cooperate and assist the government and enforcement authority in their investigation.
Gustiah is married to Tayudin since 2003 and they have two children, Nur Erin Farisha, 12, and Muhd Fahrin, 5.
Tayudin likes to sail and has been involved in the sailing/shipping industry for more than 25 years, including over 10 years with this tugboat company.
Meanwhile, Hariyanti Hamsi, 31, the wife of another kidnap victim, assistant chief Mohd Ridzuan Bin Ismail, 32, said she came to know about the news from her friend’s husband who was working for a different shipping company at about 1pm on July 18.
“Their short last call was at 2pm on July 17, and they last met us last Friday, July 15 when sending him (Ridzuan) to Tawau Bus Station to go to Sandakan for sailing,” Hariyanti said.
Hariyanti, who is from Tawau, married her husband from Pahang in 2010. They have three daughters. The eldest is Norridawati, five, with disability; Nur-Ain Sofiah, three, and Nur-Amira Nasuha, three months.
Ridzuan was the eldest among three siblings in Pahang but his parents had passed away.
Hariyanti said his two siblings had been notified and they had lodged a police report in Pahang.
“My husband has been working with this tugboat company for about three years and he was a factory technician previously. He likes to call home three to four times everyday. I have tried to call him on July 18 but could not get through.
“My father is also the captain of this tugboat but luckily, he was not on board for this journey. He has been involved in the sailing/shipping sector for more than 40 years.
“He is now held in Lahad Datu Police Station for investigation purposes. My parents have five daughters aged between 25 and 35 and I am third in the family,” she said.
Hariyanti had also worked in a sand shed in Johor before but had moved to Tawau after the birth of their children.
She hoped her husband could be released and come home as soon as possible.
The tugboat ‘Serudong 3’ was brought to Lahad Datu marine at 6pm on July 19 from Dent Haven, Tambisan and sent back to the company’s quarry in Semporna at noon yesterday.