DPA KUALA LUMPUR A LONDON-BASED Malaysian radio journalistwent missing on Thursday after he was allegedly seized by unidentified men in the eastern state of Sarawak, his office said.

Radio Free Sarawak broadcaster Peter John Jaban had just arrived at the town of Miri, about 1,370 kilometres east of Kuala Lumpur, and was travelling from the airport when his car was blocked by another vehicle carrying three men who forcibly took him.

Clare Rewcastle, founder of the London-based Radio Free Sarawak, said Jaban was earlier detained by authorities at the airport in Kota Kinabalu, in Sabah state, while trying to board a plane to Miri.

“He was detained, photographed and had his document photocopied before being escorted to the flight.

He was also informed that police special branch operatives would be awaiting his arrival in Miri,” she told DPA by phone.

Rewcastle said their radio station had angered the authorities because of their stories about environmental degradation and humanrights abuses in the state.

“We are assuming these men are associated with the authorities,but they illegally failed to give their identities to the lawyer(accompanying Jaban in the car),” she said.

Rewcastle said police in Miri denied involvement in the alleged abduction. A police official in Miri told dpa they were investigating.

Jaban was on his way to visit his family in Sarawak.