KUALA LUMPUR. May 4 Former rebels in Sierra Leone who are holding dozens of UN peacekeeping troops hostage nave freed one Malaysian but are still detaining two compatriots. Defence Minister Najib Razak said today, reports AFP.

Nailb said Major Ganase Ja-ganathan was freed Wednesday night

As of noon (1000 BST) Thursday, he said, members of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) were still holding army Lt Col Hamzah Bachik and naval Lt Cdr Aminuddin Rashid.

RUF leader Foday Sankoh promised late Wednesday "to take immediate measures" to free the hostages, national radio reported In Sierra Leone.

Most of the 49 hostages are UN peacekeepers. Seven Kenyan peacekeepers were killed during a clash this week with RUF fighters.

Malaysia has 10 military officers attached to the UN observer group In Sierra Leone.

Najib said authorities were sparing no efforts to secure the release of Hamzah and Amin-uddin.

"We've been in contact with the Sierra Leone president and rebels who held Ganase captive... besides relying on UN negotiations." he said when asked now Ganase was freed.

Just over Malaysian security personnel are serving with seven UN missions worldwide Including East Timor. Bosnia. Kosovo. Iraq and Sierra Leone. Of the total. 83 are armed forces officers while the rest are policemen.