MACABRE CLEAN-UP: Firefighters and police officers transport bodies of victims of the hostage crisis to a hospital in In Amenas. Pic: ZUMA/Rex FeaturesTHE Embassy of Malaysia in Algiers has confirmed our worst fears – one of the two Malaysians who were reported missing in the hostage incident in Amenas, has been killed, the New Straits Times reported today.

The deceased has been identified as Chong Chung Ngen. 

"In this connection, the Government of Malaysia wishes to express sincere condolence to the family of the late Mr Chong Chung Ngen," read the statement from Wisma Putra. 

It is understood that the Foreign Ministry is working to fly Chong's remains back to Malaysia. The remains of most of the foreign hostages who
were killed in the incident had been taken to Algiers.

However, the Malaysian government has expressed its frustration at the lack of details from their Algerian counterparts concerning the remaining Malaysian who is missing.

Tan Ping Wee still remains on the missing list, and to date, no news has been received concerning his condition or situation.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman today expressed his concern over the lack of details from the Algerian government in its bid to trace Tan.

"Furthermore, the official statement issued by the Algerian authority has not stated details of the rescue operation as well as the complete list of missing hostages," The Star quoted him as saying.

Earlier, five Malaysians were held hostage at the Amenas gas facility. Three have been confirmed safe. They are K. Ravi, Lau Seek Chiang and Patrict Purait Awang.

It is understood that arrangements are being made to send two of the Malaysians home, while one of their colleagues has volunteered to stay behind and help in search efforts for Tan.

The Algerian government had prior to this announced that 37 hostages were killed in the siege.

Other hostages who perished include seven Japanese, six Filipinos, three Americans, three Britons and one Algerian, according to officials from those countries. 

In the incident, the five Malaysians were among 130 workers of various nationalities at the Amenas Oil and Gas Production Complex in Algeria who were taken hostage by a group of militants on Jan 16, Bernama reported. 

It is believed that the incident was an act of revenge against the Algerian government for allowing the country's air space to be used by French fighter jets to attack Islamist rebels in Mali.

The standoff ended Saturday, after four days, when Algerian special forces stormed the complex for the second time. The government said it did so because the militants were planning to blow up the installation and flee to neighboring Mali with hostages. 

The mastermind of the attack is believed to be an Algerian militant named Mokhtar Belmokhtar. 

Mokhtar is known to the authorities for operating a contraband-smuggling operation in the desert region of West Africa. 

Mokhtar had claimed, in a video posted on the Internet, that the attack was a response to recent French intervention in Mali.

However, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sallel maintains that plans for the attack were hatched months ago. 



- mD

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