Malaysians spooked by case of child gone missing for 3 days

On average, 2 children below the age of 18 go missing every day, according to local media

- Azril Annuar

Ten-year-old Hud now knows that if his mother is unable to pick him up from school, and she sends a relative or friend to do so, this person must be able to divulge the “safe word” that the family has agreed upon.

If not, he must not follow them, said Penang housewife Aini Syahirah Anuar, who has always been cautious about the safety of her three young sons, and even more so now.

The alleged abduction of a six-year-old girl on July 20, which sparked a three-day-long search and elicited much public concern, struck a chord of alarm with Ms Aini, 38, as it did with many parents.

“After (the girl’s) disappearance, I was more cautious than usual when I took Hud and the boys out to buy some shoes. I would usually spend more time with them shopping, but that day, I only spent an hour at the mall.

“My children asked me why I was so agitated instead of being my usual relaxed self,” she told The Straits Times.

The little girl went missing on July 20 during a Bon Odori event at a mall in Iskandar Puteri, in southern Johor state, where her parents were manning a stall. Her disappearance hogged Malaysia’s headlines, with tip-offs and sightings pouring in, and several unrelated parties even offering cash rewards for her safe return.

She was found with no visible injuries on July 23 at a budget hotel in Batang Kali, Selangor, some 370km away from where she was last seen.

Five suspects were arrested by the police. Of these, four have been released on bail. The motive behind the alleged abduction is still under investigation.

Shortly after the girl was found, Royal Malaysian Police Bukit Aman criminal investigation department director Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain told the press on July 25 that while the number of missing person cases is on the rise, it is not at a level that was a cause for concern. He did not provide specific figures.