Remember Francis Ng Wai Kong and Victor Hoo Kim Swee? They are the two Malaysians who were stranded in Saudi Arabia since January this year. I highlighted the case in Parliament and wrote to Syed Hamid to intervene. The families worked very hard to secure their release. I was informed by Victor’s father last Friday that the duo were back in the country a day before.
Glad that the ordeal is finally over. Take care, Francis and Victor.Read here for my earlier posts.

Human Rights, ForeignThursday, 17-05-2007 11: 37.42
Human rights violated! Syed Hamid, help rescue Malaysians from Saudi Arabia

Press Statement by DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Tanjong Chow Kon Yeow on Thursday, 17 May 2007.
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Foreign Minister should intervene and rescue Malaysian duo still stranded in Saudi Arabia
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It is regrettable that two Malaysian citizens are still being deprived of their human rights over a commercial dispute with a Saudi Arabian company.

The duo, Francis Ng Wai Kong and Victor Hoo Kim Swee are unable to return to Malaysia since January 2007 because their passports have been detained.

Worse still, they were ordered out of the Malaysian Consul-General office in Jeddah at midnight on 6 May 2007. Until now the Foreign Ministry has been keeping mum over this unfortunate incident.

The Malaysian government and Foreign Ministry should reclassify the case as a case of violation of the human rights of Malaysians who have their freedom of movement restricted and prevented from going back to their home country.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar should direct the Malaysian Consul-General in Jeddah, Syed Bakri Syed Abdul Rahman to treat the case as a violation of the human rights of two Malaysians and do everything possible to secure their early return to Malaysia.

As the problem involved a dispute between a Saudi Arabia company and two Malaysian companies, Syarikat Season Growth and Syarikat Akebono, it should be resolved according to commercial and contract laws of that country.

The Saudi Arabian company should seek remedy in a commercial and civil court and they cannot take laws into their own hands by illegally restricting the free movement of the two Malaysians who are merely servants and agents of the Malaysian companies.

It is regrettable that the Malaysian Consul General in Jeddah, Syed Bakri Syed Abdul Rahman had taken upon himself to be a judge in this case by ordering the Malaysian companies to give in to the full demand of the Saudi Arabian company.

It is pertinent for the Malaysian government and Foreign Minister to secure the return of Francis Ng and Victor Hoo soonest as they are now considered overstayers and may be detained as illegal immigrants in this foreign land.

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ParliamentWednesday, 09-05-2007 16: 45.25
Let Victor see his first-born

Malaysiakini has a report on the families of the Malaysian duo stranded in Saudi Arabia making appeal to the Malaysian government to bring them back to Malaysia.

Victor’s Hoo father, Meng Hai, Victor’s wife Tan Chin Heong and Francis Ng’s wife, Cheah Mun Yue wept openly at the media conference.

They have no one to turn to and pray for the safe return of the duo. (more…)

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Human Rights, ForeignTuesday, 08-05-2007 16: 12.33
Malaysian duo in Jeddah chased out in the middle of the night

On 17 April 2007 I tried to move an emergency motion to discuss the plight of two Malaysians who were stuck in Saudi Arabia because of a trade dispute.

The Speaker rejected the motion on the ground that the Foreign Ministry was looking into the matter.

Today Vincent Hoo, the father of one of the victims, forwarded to me an e-mail message he received from the duo, Francis Ng and Victor Hoo.

Both of them have been chased out of the Consulate in Jeddah in the middle of the night on 5 May 2007.

They have no documents to identify themselves; their passports were withheld by the other party. They were driven around by a taxi in search of a hotel to put up the night.

They went to five hotels, but no one dare to take them in because they have no identity papers.

Finally they were dumped by the taxi driver near an overhead bridge at about 3.00 in the morning.

They were forced to spend the night under the bridge with other illegal immigrants.

Finally in the morning they found their way to their lawyer’s office.

I am asking why these two Malaysians are being treated this way by the Jeddah Consulate. I have seen Ahmad Shabery Cheek, the parliamentary secretary of the Foreign Ministry yesterday and today. He had no answer for me and instead asked me to write to the Minister himself.

Do Malaysians still care?

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