Ketengah help for Sharlinie's family

Mohd Nashar Mat Hussain and his wife Suraya Ahmad building their house. At right is their daughter Sharliena.

DUNGUN: The Central Terengganu Development Authority (Ketengah) will help complete the home of the family of Sharlinie Mohd Nashar, the girl who went missing from her home in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, earlier this year.

The family had moved here earlier this month to find peace and security and to start a new life, and Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said has ordered Ketengah to aid them.

The family is staying at Sharlinie's paternal grandfather's house while waiting for their new home to be completed.

"I hope Ketengah can help complete the house as soon as possible to help ease the family's burden," said Ahmad, who is also Ketengah's chairman.

He was speaking to reporters after visiting the family at Sharlinie's aunt's house in Kampung Padang Pulut. Also present was state Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Za'abar Mohd Adib.

Ahmad added Ketengah would also look into other ways to help the family.

Sharlinie went missing from her home in Taman Medan in Petaling Jaya on Jan 9.

Sharlinie's father, Mohd Nashar Mat Hussain, 29, said Hari Raya celebrations this year would be a quiet affair as Sharlinie was not around.

"She was the most cheerful and loved to go to the Ramadan bazaars. She would also drag her siblings along to go out," he said, adding that Sharlinie loved otak-otak, rendang and lemang.

Mohd Nasar said a bomoh he contacted two weeks ago told them that his daughter was still alive and was in the country.

- NST

Murid tahun lima nyaris diculik

BANDAR KINRARA - Selepas negara ini digemparkan dengan tiga kes penculikan kanak-kanak di sekitar Kuala Lumpur, Selangor dan yang terbaru di Johor Bahru tahun ini, penduduk di sebuah pangsapuri kos rendah di sini pula gempar apabila seorang kanak-kanak lelaki nyaris diculik 9 September lalu.

Dalam kejadian kira-kira jam 7.13 malam, murid tahun lima dari sebuah sekolah berdekatan itu dikatakan sedang duduk bersendirian di tembok batu berdekatan pintu lif rumahnya.

Ibu mangsa yang enggan dikenali berkata, kejadian berlaku ketika umat Islam di negara ini sedang menunggu waktu berbuka puasa di rumah masing-masing.

Katanya, anaknya memaklumkan ketika duduk bersendirian di tembok batu itu, dia didatangi dua lelaki Melayu yang memeluk dari belakang dan memikulnya masuk ke dalam sebuah van berwarna putih.

Ujarnya lagi, dengan saiz tubuh badan yang kecil, kedua-dua lelaki itu dengan mudah mendukung anaknya dan menyumbatkannya ke dalam van menggunakan pintu belakang kenderaan itu.

“Dia yang tergamam dengan kejadian itu kemudian meronta-ronta di dalam van meminta dilepaskan tetapi permintaannya tidak diendahkan.

“Namun anak lelaki saya berjaya melepaskan diri apabila salah seorang daripada suspek memperlahankan van dipandunya kira-kira 100 meter dari tempat kejadian ketika melalui kawasan bazar Ramadan.

“Ketika salah seorang suspek memperlahankan kereta, anak saya yang berusia 11 tahun itu kemudian bertindak nekad membuka pintu tepi dan terus terjun keluar daripada van.

- Sinar Harian

Hiba Aidilfitri tanpa Nurin

JAZIMIN dan keluarga menziarahi pusara Nurin di Gombak semalam.

KUALA LUMPUR - Luka di hati keluarga Allahyarham Nurin Jazlin Jazimin (gambar kecil) masih belum sembuh sungguhpun telah genap setahun kanak-kanak malang yang berumur sembilan tahun itu dibunuh secara kejam oleh manusia yang tidak berhati perut.

Bagi Jazimin Abdul Jalil, 34, dan isterinya Norazian Bistaman, 36, luka di hati mereka masih berdarah dan kenangan terhadap anak kedua mereka itu terus segar terutama dalam menjalani ibadah puasa dan menjelang sambutan Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Ini merupakan kali kedua mereka menyambut hari raya tanpa kehadiran seorang insan dalam keluarga yang bergelar 'Kak Ngah' di kalangan empat adik beradik itu.

Sungguhpun pahit untuk ditelan, namun bagi Jazimin, isteri serta tiga lagi anak mereka, terpaksa merelakan pemergian Nurin dan redha dengan ketentuan Ilahi.

Syawal yang bakal menjelang tidak lama lagi, seakan-akan mengingatkan kembali gelagat Nurin semasa berpuasa dan ketika membuat persiapan menyambut hari raya, kata Jazimin ketika ditemui di rumahnya di PPR Ayer Panas, Setapak di sini semalam.

"Kalau diikutkan hati memang kami tak sanggup untuk beraya dengan ketiadaan Nurin tetapi kami ada anak-anak lain yang masih memerlukan perhatian... takkan kami nak terus mengikut perasaan hingga mengabaikan mereka," katanya sambil merujuk kepada tiga anak mereka iaitu Nurin Jazira, 10, Nurin Jazlina, 7, dan Nurin Jazlisa, 2."

Isterinya pula berkata hanya baju raya tahun lepas kepunyaan puteri keduanya itu yang masih disimpan dan ianya menjadi pengubat kerinduan buat mereka sekeluarga.

"Sebelum arwah hilang, kami ada buatkan dua pasang baju kurung untuk dia.

Salah satu adalah kain pilihannya sendiri. Beria-ia sangat dia nak pakai... Tapi tak sangka pula dia tak sempat bergaya dengan baju kurungnya itu.

"Biarlah baju ini disimpan. Tak nak beri pada kak long (anaknya yang sulung) walaupun dia boleh pakai. Biarlah mereka pakai baju mereka sendiri," katanya. - Bernama (Published by Kosmo Online)

Nurin Jazlin: One Year After

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 (Bernama) -- One year ago today the battered body of little nine-year old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin was found stuffed in a sports bag.

For her father, Jazimin Abdul Jalil, 34, and mother Norazian Bistaman, 36, the pain of losing for their second child lingers on as Hari Raya approaches.

This is the second time they commemorate the day without their second child nicknamed 'Kak Ngah'.

Nurin's parents and her three siblings have accepted her death as preordained by God.

Nevertheless, Hari Raya will bring back memories of her antics during the fasting month, said Jazimin when met by Bernama at his house at PPR Ayer Panas, Setapak here Wednesday.

"As parents, we do not feel we should be celebrating without Nurin. But we have other children who need our love, we should not go overboard with our grief that we ignore their needs," Jazimin said, referring to his surviving daughters Nurin Jazira, 10, Nurin Jazlina, 7, and Nurin Jazlisa, 2.

His wife has kept Nurin's last Hari Raya dress as remembrance.

Norazian recalled that Nurin liked to break her fast with Roti John (french bread with omelette and mincemeat) and kebab while her favourite Hari Raya dish was lemang (glutinous rice and coconut milk cooked in bamboo) and rendang (meat cooked in coconut milk and spices).

"I still remember that Nurin was the easiest to wake up for sahur (pre-dawn meal before fasting), Nurin's mother said while caressing her dress.

Jazimin said that this year, the family will celebrate Hari Raya on a moderate scale. They will pay a visit to Nurin's grave before going back to his wife's hometown in Selama, Perak.

When asked about the legal suit that he had filed against the Inspector-General of Police and the government for casting aspersions that his daughter's disappearance was due to his alleged dealings with loan sharks, Jazimin said he was still waiting for the outcome.

According to him, winning or losing is immaterial; what's important is that he clears his reputation.

"I ask that people do not make wild speculations whenever a child goes missing and put the blame solely on the parents, without knowing what actually transpired," he said.

On Aug 20, last year Nurin, a year-two student of Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Desa Setapak, was reported missing from her house in Section 1 Wangsa Maju.

Her body was found last year on this day, 27 days after her disappearance and post-mortem results indicated that she died as a result of sexual assault.

-- BERNAMA

This article is also carried in Malaysia Today and The Malaysian Insider. To read Malaysian Today readers' comments on the article, click here.

Sexual crimes a top priority

MALAYSIA: SEXUAL crimes amounted to less than one per cent of the total missing children cases in the last five years but the authorities are leaving no stones unturned in their quest to bring these criminals to book.

For the first time, psychological studies on sexual offenders against children, who are still at large, will be done.

Profiling is the process of identifying the offender by understanding the nature of the offence and the way it was carried out.

The profile includes the motives, physical attributes, personality and behavioural tendencies.

Police had also announced that a registry of convicted paedophiles would be maintained.

"The number of sexual cases may be low but the nature of the crime is serious.

"We hope to make some inroads into finding who Nurin's perpetrator was," said ACP Suguram Bibi Munshi Deen, head of the sexual crimes and children division.

The murder of 8-year-old sexual victim Nurin Jazlin Jazimin shocked the nation last year.

Her ravaged body was found stuffed in a sports bag a month after the abduction.

The police are also finalising a standard operating procedure on the response system to missing children reports.

They no longer turn away parents or guardians who lodge a report less than 24 hours after a child has gone missing.

Suguram advised parents or guardians to provide as much information as possible, including the kind of clothes the child was wearing and his/her photographs because the first 48 hours after a child is missing are crucial to his/her safety.

"It's important we get accurate information.

"We have to make decisions on whether the child has been abducted, lost, has gotten into an accident or if the parents are lying to hide a crime against the child."

Suguram said these new policies and practices were in the pipeline even before Nurin's case.

Sharlinie Mohd Nashar, 5, abducted early this year in a playground near her house in Petaling Jaya has yet to be found.

Cases on children who are still missing will not be closed but the police can "discontinue investigating temporarily until fresh leads appear".

Suguram urged parents not to lose hope and to keep providing police with information on the child.

- New Straits Times/Asia News Network

Missing child warning system facing delay

HOW long does it take to set up a missing child warning system in Malaysia?

One year and counting.

This is not at all surprising, considering there is little concerted effort put together for a machinery to push forward such a plan.

Following the public uproar over Nurin Jazlin Jazimin's disappearance last year, the child's uncle, Jasni Abdul Jalil, and a group of concerned citizens proposed a nationwide urgent response information network alert system, codenamed Nurin Alert.

The idea is to have a mechanism to activate information on missing children so that it reaches the public in the shortest time possible.

Today, the responsibility to make the alert a reality is still being shuttled among the group, the police and the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.

Jasni wanted the police to take ownership of the system, but the police said it was the ministry's initiative.

The ministry, however, has said the alert doesn't fall "under its hands".

A year ago, the reception wasn't so, Jasni recalled. The proposal was successfully put forward to former minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Jasni said it was even incorporated into the drafting of the Child Protection Policy in the section on how to react to a missing child report.

Some ideas under the Nurin Alert were adopted during Sharlinie Mohd Nashar's disappearance, he said.

"When Sharlinie went missing, the authorities took the initiative to highlight the case and disseminate information to the public through TV stations and newspapers.

"If you go back to Nurin's time, that didn't happen. No attention was given. The news came out only after the third day. By then anything could have happened.

"But with Sharlinie, the reaction was instantaneous.

"We want a standard operating procedure on how the issue of missing children should be handled.

"We don't want it to be made based on discretion. It should be clearly laid out."

Part of the suggestions put up by the group is that in the event of a missing child report, the police would have to decide quickly whether to put out a nationwide information alert.

The Nurin Alert could be triggered, without the need for parents to approach the media for their case to be highlighted.

The authorities should act because they are in a better position to tell if the case deserves immediate public notification, said Jasni.

The criteria for raising a national alert, the group suggested, should be when the child is below 15 and when police have determined it has nothing to do with parental disputes and believe there's real danger involved.

Also in the proposal was for radio stations and public address systems in malls or mosques in the area where the child went missing to give a description of the child.

"The public can play their part. Maybe someone saw a child being snatched."
= NST Online

Sharlinie’s dad still hopeful she will return

Saturday September 13, 2008

DUNGUN: The father of missing five-year-old Sharlinie, still harbours belief that his daughter is alive and well.

Mohd Nashar Mat Hussein also believes his youngest child, who went missing in in Petaling Jaya on Jan 9, is still in the country.

“Yes, I received news from Petaling Jaya police a couple of months ago that they have obtained leads that my child is alive and still in the country. It’s only matter of time before our daughter will be reunited with us,” the father of three said after Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said visited him and presented Hari Raya aid to the family yesterday.

Mohd Nashar decided to move out from his rented house in Taman Medan, Petaling Jaya, and return to his family home in Kampung Padang Pulut here to get over the bitter episode. The family shifted here last week and are helping out at a food stall ope­rated by Mohd Nashar’s elder sister.

Mohd Nashar said another confirmation of his daughter’s wellbeing was given by a traditional medicine practitioner from Perak.

“He told us that Sharlinie is safe and would return to us very soon. It may sound ridiculous, but I am optimistic that my girl will be found,” he said.

Mohd Nashar said Sharlinie’s two other siblings, Nurul Amirah, 11, and Sharliena, eight, also miss their sister deeply.

“Buka puasa is a quiet affair for all of us and that why we decided to return to our hometown to erase the painful experience we endured when Sharlinie went missing,” he said.

He said Sharlinie often accompanied him to the Ramadan Bazaar at Taman Medan during the previous fasting month.

“This time she is not here. My wife (Suraya Ahmad, 28) is gloomy, she still can’t forget the episode,” he added.

“Maybe this Hari Raya will be a new beginning for my family with her returning very soon,” he said.

Earlier, Ahmad announced a Hari Raya gift for Mohd Nashar’s family. The state government has agreed to build them a new home.

The new house will be built on a plot of land owned by Mohd Nas-har’s father Mat Hussein Awang Kechik, 60.

- Star Online

Tinta: Jangan biarkan kes kanak-kanak hilang berulang

Oleh Fadzlena Jafar
fadzlena@bharian.com.my

Assalamualaikum

SALAM Ramadan! Kedatangan bulan mulia ini sememangnya sentiasa dinantikan masyarakat Islam di negara ini. Selain kehadiran pelbagai juadah enak yang boleh didapati di bazar Ramadan, bulan ini juga memberikan ruang untuk kita menambah amal ibadat.

Bagi yang sedang membuat persiapan Aidilfitri ini, pastikan semuanya berjalan lancar. Jangan kerana terlalu sibuk membeli-belah kelengkapan baru seperti baju, perabot ataupun kuih raya, anda lupa untuk menjaga keselamatan anak terutama jika berkunjung ke pusat beli-belah yang pastinya dibanjiri orang ramai yang turut membuat persiapan akhir.

Jadikan iktibar kehilangan kanak-kanak yang banyak dilaporkan sejak kebelakangan ini.

Jika anda masih ingat kes kehilangan kanak-kanak berusia lima tahun, Muhammad Nazrin Ghazali (kini tujuh tahun) di sebuah gedung beli-belah di ibu negara dua tahun lalu ketika keluarganya sibuk membeli-belah, seharusnya anda akan menjadi lebih berhati-hati.

Walaupun Muhammad Nazrin atau lebih dikenali sebagai Adik Yin, selamat ditemui, tempoh yang dilalui sepanjang beberapa minggu kehilangannya pasti menjadi pengalaman ‘menakutkan’ yang tidak mahu dilalui lagi oleh kedua-dua ibu bapanya.

Orang kata, anak bagaikan nadi kehidupan kita. Kehilangan mereka, tidak kira apa punca sekali pun, boleh menyebabkan seseorang itu berasa sebahagian daripada diri mereka turut mati. Tanyalah kepada ibu bapa yang pernah melalui pengalaman seperti Ghazali.

Saya pernah bertemu Ghazali dan isteri ketika mereka berkunjung ke pejabat Berita Harian sejurus penemuan kanak-kanak itu. Bagi mereka sejak kehilangan Adik Yin, setiap detik dirasakan begitu menyesakkan diri mengenangkan nasib anak yang hilang, entahkan hidup, entahkan mati.

Malah, setiap saat peristiwa itu bermain di fikiran mereka sehingga ada kalanya terdetik di hati, jika tidak datang ke gedung beli-belah itu mahupun Kuala Lumpur (keluarga Ghazali menetap di Perak), tidak mungkin peristiwa itu akan berlaku.

Apapun, bersyukur kerana nasib Adik Yin sudah diketahui. Bagaimana pula dengan adik Sharlinie dan Awi yang sehingga ke hari ini masih tidak ditemui? Jika masih hidup, di mana mereka, siapa yang menjaga? Namun, jika sebaliknya, tunjukkan kubur mereka.

Kehilangan dua kanak-kanak itu adalah antara puluhan atau ratusan kes yang sehingga hari ini masih tidak berjaya diselesaikan. Masih ingat lagi dengan kehilangan kanak-kanak berusia tujuh tahun, Tin Song Sheng yang dikatakan diculik di depan sekolahnya di Klang pada 12 Januari 1996. Kini sudah lebih 12 tahun Shong Sheng hilang, tetapi kehilangannya masih diratapi ibunya dan terus mengharap untuk menemui si kecil biar dalam keadaan apa sekali pun.

Ada pelbagai teori diketengahkan mengenai kehilangan kanak-kanak seperti mereka, antaranya digunakan sindiket untuk bekerja atau dijadikan peminta sedekah di negara asing terutama apabila heboh beberapa tahun lalu mengenai kelibat kanak-kanak itu yang dikatakan dilihat di selatan Thai sedang meminta sedekah. Tidak kira apapun punca kehilangan mereka, kita harap satu hari nanti mereka diketemukan semula dengan keluarga tersayang.

Justeru, pada Ramadan yang mulia ini jadikan kisah mereka sebagai peringatan penting terutama apabila membawa anak ke pusat beli-belah, lebih-lebih lagi menjelang lebaran, kebanyakan pusat beli-belah atau pasar raya penuh dengan orang ramai yang turut mempunyai tujuan sama seperti anda, menyediakan persiapan Aidilfitri.

Tetapi, bak kata orang, rambut sama hitam, hati lain-lain. Mungkin ada juga yang berniat jahat dan ingin mengambil kesempatan di tengah kesibukan menyediakan persiapan lebaran. Jadi, berhati-hatilah. Jangan biarkan peristiwa yang menghantui keluarga kanak-kanak Ghazali itu turut menghantui anda kelak.

Pada masa sama, marilah kita berdoa semoga Sharlinie dan Awi segera ditemui dan secara peribadi, saya harap kita turut mendoakan supaya pembunuh adik Nurin Jazlin Jazimin ditahan. Al-Fatihah untuk adik Nurin Jazlin!

- Berita Harian

Keluarga Sharlinie sayu berbuka puasa

Oleh IRMAN HASHIM

DUNGUN 3 Sept. - Suasana sayu dan sepi tetap menyelubungi keluarga Mohd. Nashar Mat Hussein yang mula berbuka puasa di kampung mereka di sini, selepas meninggalkan tempat tinggal lama di ibu kota bagi mencari ketenangan sejak kehilangan Sharlinie lapan bulan lalu.

Namun tempat baru nampaknya tetap tidak mampu menghilangkan kerinduan keluarga ini terhadap keletah Sharlinie, 5, bersama dua kakaknya, Nurul Amirah, 11, dan Sharliena, 8, setiap kali waktu berbuka.

Mohd. Nashar, 29, berkata, anak bongsunya itu sering dibawa menemaninya membeli juadah berbuka puasa di pasar Ramadan berdekatan rumah mereka di Taman Medan, Petaling Jaya.

"Setiap kali, kami pergi membeli juadah berbuka puasa, Sharlinie akan meminta saya membeli otak-otak kegemarannya," katanya ketika ditemui di rumah ayahnya, Mat Hussein Awang Kechik, 60, di Kampung Bentong Padang Pulut di sini semalam.

Sharlinie diculik ketika dalam perjalanan pulang selepas bermain dengan kakaknya, Sharliena di padang permainan yang terletak kira-kira 200 meter dari rumah mereka di Taman Medan pada 9 Januari lalu.

Sejak itu, selain polis, pelbagai pihak termasuk media dan orang perseorangan menghulurkan bantuan mencarinya tetapi sehingga kini usaha itu masih gagal membuahkan hasil.

Mohd. Nashar mengambil keputusan untuk berpindah ke Dungun semalam selepas tidak sanggup berada di rumah sewa di Taman Medan ekoran kejadian penculikan itu.

Beliau berkata, Ramadan kali ini hanya disambut secara sederhana dan mereka sekeluarga masih tidak memikirkan persiapan Aidilfitri.

"Masih belum ada berita tentang penemuan Sharlinie sehingga ke hari ini tetapi kami masih bersemangat untuk mencarinya," katanya.

Beliau menaruh harapan dan berdoa agar anak bongsunya itu akan pulang sebelum Hari Raya Aidilfitri bagi mengembalikan keceriaan mereka sekeluarga.
- Utusan Online

‘Pulangkan anakku’

Oleh Mohd Nur Asnawi Daud
asnawi@hmetro.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: “Saya mengharapkan Awi dipulangkan Ramadan ini. Semoga Aidilfitri nanti lebih bermakna buat kami sekeluarga,” rayu ibu Muhamad Asmawi Jalaludin, 11, kanak-kanak yang hilang di Pantai Dalam di sini, sejak 9 Mac lalu.

Rozita Mat Hassan, 50, berkata dia sekeluarga amat merindui Awi, apatah lagi ketika umat Islam sedang berpuasa apabila mengenangkan celotehnya menunaikan ibadat itu.

“Kalau bulan puasa, dialah yang paling gembira kerana sering diberikan wang oleh penduduk setempat yang sukakannya.

“Di bulan yang mulia ini, diharapkan terbukalah hati orang yang menyembunyikan anak bongsu saya itu supaya mengembalikannya ke pangkuan keluarga,” katanya ketika ditemui di rumahnya Jalan Pantai Permai 4, Pantai Dalam di sini, malam tadi.

Menurutnya, dia tetap berikhtiar menjejaki Awi walaupun operasi pihak berkuasa selama ini gagal menemuinya.

Dia tidak menyalahkan pihak polis kerana menyedari mereka sudah melakukan pelbagai usaha.

“Saya mengambil inisiatif sendiri, termasuk berjumpa pengamal perubatan tradisional. Walaupun terpaksa berhabis wang, saya tetap melakukannya kerana percaya Awi masih hidup,” katanya.

Kebanyakan pengamal perubatan tradisional memberitahu keluarga Rozita bahawa Awi disimpan atau dikurung orang tidak dikenali.

Malah, katanya, seorang bomoh turut memberitahu anaknya dipelihara seseorang dan tidak ingin melepaskan Awi kerana terlalu sayangkannya.

“Itu usaha saya dan ia akan tetap diteruskan selagi saya terdaya walaupun terpaksa bergolok bergadai.

“Naluri saya sebagai ibu kandungnya kuat mengatakan Awi masih hidup dan akan pulang satu hari nanti,” katanya.

Rozita yang sering menatap gambar dan pakaian anaknya bagi mengubati kerinduan, berkata Awi seorang yang ceria dan selalu melawak membuatkan dia sekeluarga terasa kehilangannya.

Dia turut bercadang pulang ke kampungnya di Rembau, Negeri Sembilan, bagi menenangkan fikiran selain melakukan ikhtiar lain bagi mengesan anaknya.

Ditanya mengenai perpindahan keluarga Sharlinie Mohd Nashar ke Dungun, Terengganu, dia terkejut apabila mengetahui perkembangan itu, namun faham dengan perasaan mereka dan alasan berbuat demikian.

“Saya dan keluarga Sharlinie saling mengenali antara satu sama lain dan kami saling kunjung-mengunjungi.

“Dulu, ketika Mohd Nashar pergi mencari Sharlinie di Indonesia dan Thailand, dia turut bawa bersama gambar Awi untuk dicari di sana.

“Malangnya usaha dan niatnya tidak kesampaian. Tidak langsung nampak kelibat kedua-dua kanak-kanak itu,” katanya.

Rozita berkata, dia juga pernah melahirkan hasrat kepada keluarga Mohd Nashar untuk berpindah ke kampung halamannya di Negeri Sembilan. Tapi mak cik tidak sangka pula mereka yang berpindah dulu,” kata Rozita sambil mengesat air mata.

Awi hilang selepas bermain bersama rakannya di taman permainan berhampiran rumahnya di Jalan Pantai Permai 4, Pantai Dalam di sini, 9 Mac lalu.

Dia hilang selepas berpisah dengan rakannya di satu persimpangan kira-kira 50 meter dari rumahnya jam 6.30 petang.

Sementara itu, Ketua Polis Daerah Brickfields, Asisten Komisioner Wan Abd Bari Wan Abd Khalid, berkata polis tidak pernah menutup siasatan kes kehilangan kanak-kanak berkenaan.

Menurutnya, pihak polis masih meneruskan usaha mengesan Awi.

“Kes diklasifikasi sebagai orang hilang dan tidak akan ditutup hingga proses mencari selesai sama ada Awi ditemui masih hidup atau sebaliknya.

“Buat masa ini, polis tidak mendapat maklumat baru,” katanya ketika dihubungi Harian Metro, malam tadi. - Harian Metro

Sharlinie's family seeks peace, hope in Dungun

PETALING JAYA: Although they now call Dungun, Terengganu, their home, Sharlinie Mohd Nashar's family has not given up hope of finding her.

A visit yesterday to the home of the 5-year-old girl, who has been missing since January, to find out how the family was coping proved to be futile as their neighbours in Taman Medan here said the family had moved to Terengganu on Sunday.

Contacted later by telephone, Sharlinie's father, Mohd Nashar Mat Hussain, 29, said the decision to move was not to forget the incident but instead for the family to seek peace and start a new life.

"Ramadan this year will be quiet without Sharlinie.

"That's why we decided to move and celebrate Ramadan in a village atmosphere that is peaceful and calm," he said.

The pressures of the higher cost of living in the city was also a reason why the family decided to move, he said, adding that he was still looking for a job to support his family.

He said memories of Sharlinie's antics when she followed him to the Ramadan bazaar still lingered in his mind.

"Her mother is still sad and both her sisters often ask 'when is Nini coming home ... we can celebrate Hari Raya together'.

"It breaks my heart."

Mohd Nashar said the family now lived at his father's house and Sharlinie's sisters, Nurul Amirah, 11 and Sharliena, 8, would begin studying at a new school in Dungun tomorrow.

"Our move may be temporary. We have not decided yet whether or not we want to stay here for good or return to Kuala Lumpur."

Sharlinie's mother, Suraya Ahmad, 28, said that she had never lost faith that her daughter would one day be found.

"During this month of Ramadan, we hope that Sharlinie will return.

"I hope that whoever took my daughter will give her back to us so that we can celebrate Hari Raya with Nini," she said.

Sharlinie was reported missing around 11.30am on Jan 9 while playing with her sister at a playground located 200 metres from their house in Taman Medan. -- Bernama

Preventing crimes against children

By Sekina Joseph

Some 242 children in Malaysia were reported missing between January and March, out of which only half have been found. So who do we blame -- the parents, police or stakeholders for not addressing the weaknesses and failures of the system?

Consider these cases: Nine-year-old Ang May Hong went missing on Apr. 12, 1987 while buying breakfast with her brother. She was later found dead and sexually abused near her home. On Dec. 10, 1995, Chai Sieu Chi, age 10 disappeared while playing not far from her home and is still missing. On Jan. 12, 1996, seven-year-old Tin Song Sheng was abducted outside his school and as rumors go, is handicapped and forced into begging in Thailand. In October 2000, six-year-old Nushuhada Burak was kidnapped on her way to a shop and later found raped and murdered in a rooftop water tank. On Jan. 28, 2004, Nurul Huda Abdul Ghani age 10 was abducted on her way home from a shop. Her naked body was found near an electric station guardhouse. She was gang raped, sodomized and strangled. On Aug. 20, 2007, Nurin Jazlin Jazimin, went missing on his way to a night market. The eight-year-old was found in a sports bag a month later, sexually assaulted and brutally murdered. On Jan. 9, 2008, Sharlinie Mohd Nasha, disappeared while playing with her eight year old sister at a playground near her house. The five-year-old is still missing. On Mar. 9, 2008, Mohd Asmawi Jalaludin disappeared on his way home from a playground near his house. The 11 year old has not been traced since.

Although the crime-solving rate of the police is about 40 percent higher than the Interpol benchmark of 20 percent, it has failed to solve a large number of cases related to crimes involving missing children.

The problem could be that the police are overworked and not adequately motivated. This might be due to the large number of cases and a shortage of manpower. I was told that sometimes they get around 11 cases at a time.

Police training needs to improve and must emphasize on people skills, which are important when dealing with victims and their families. This is also because they have to deal with child witnesses, which can hamper investigation as far as credibility goes.

While I believe that police are trained in investigative skills techniques, the problem may lie in their attitude towards the investigation process. For example, not being vigilant at the crime scene can result in missing crucial clues and evidence.

However, in cases involving missing minors, the blame cannot be put solely on the police, as the chances of solving such cases are low due to little or no evidence at the crime scene. Also, police have to rely heavily on leads from witnesses and most of the time from uncooperative members of the public. Therefore, prevention is more effective and the community should play a bigger and active role in this respect. Parents should ensure the safety of their children by not allowing them to roam in their neighborhoods, parks, playgrounds and markets without adequate supervision.

Posters of missing children and circulating pamphlets will not help a lot in alerting the public. Instead, creating more public awareness on these issues, training people, and galvanizing the support of various agencies like the police, the judiciary, welfare and social organizations and the Interpol can help prevent such crimes. Everybody in society should assume responsibility, understand their role and connect to the wider process of preventing crimes against children.

Our children are our legacy and a gift from God. As responsible adults and parents we must take good care of them.

We, as humans irrespective of being migrants, illegal entrants, refugees, locals or foreigners, deserve to live in dignity and enjoy inalienable rights recognized and respected by the State and its agents if we are to progress as a cultured, caring and sharing nation.