Missing children alert system ready

By : Evangeline Majawat

KUALA LUMPUR: The early alert system for missing children is already in place but it is not called Nurin Alert, after Nurin Jazlin Jazimin who was found brutally murdered last year.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said a mechanism similar to Nurin Alert was already in place.

"I've said it clearly that the name 'Nurin Alert' is not in our programme or part of our plans on child protection. But the whole mechanism and processes from A to Z have been discussed and is already in place," she said.

The so-called "Nationwide Urgent Response Information Network" (Nurin Alert) was first mooted last year, four months after the broken body of 8-year-old Nurin was found.

She had been sexually assaulted, murdered and her body stuffed into a gym bag.

The mechanism was modelled after the United States' Amber alert -- an emergency response system that galvanises the authorities and the community to locate missing children.

Dr Ng said the yet to be named emergency response mechanism was a major component of the proposed Child Protection Policy.

"We didn't use the name Nurin Alert. America used Amber Alert. We have not decided."

Dr Ng stressed that numerous meetings between her ministry, the police and non-governmental organisations had been held to realise the mechanism.

However, she pointed out that it was up to the police to act first in a missing child case.

"In our intense desire to save children, we must know what is the best mechanism to do so. The first thing to do when a child goes missing is to make a police report.

"We can't instruct the police on what to do. It is a police matter and they know how to handle it."

Dr Ng said it was inappropriate to "splash the news of a missing child in newspapers for the first few hours".

"This creates panic and they (kidnappers) may kill the child," she said.

On the task force investigating the alleged abuse of Penan women and girls, she said the outcome of the investigation would be made public next month.

"We'll leave no stone unturned. There is nothing to hide in this case.

"I will even go to the extent of saying that if we need to test the DNA of the child to find out who the father is, we will do that."

- New Straits Times

A mother's agony

The New Straits Times carried the following article on 14th September 2008. Dearth of latest developements on Sharlinie and Asmawi, perhaps this article can remind us that there are more than the two missing children in Malaysia currently. One of them is Syed Ahmad Kushairi Syed Jamal.

FOUR years have passed since her son's disappearance but a 47-year-old hospital attendant doesn't let each black cross on the calendar break her spirits.

Mum Taj Bagam Ab Razak still hopes to see her son.

"Yes, I believe if he's alive, he will come back. I'm waiting for that day."

Casting a glance out of the window of her low-cost flat in Ampang, Mum Taj recounted the Saturday when her youngest son got lost.

"That time, it was like today. Raining. He was riding his bicycle."

The family, among the last to move out of the squatter area in Lembah Jaya Selatan, Ampang, was busy packing up when at 3pm, they realised something amiss.

Eight-year-old Syed Ahmad Kushairi Syed Jamal didn't respond to calls.

His eldest sister went out in search for him, only to find the boy's bicycle lying by a monsoon drain.

Kushairi was cycling a few metres away from home for half an hour. That was the last his family saw of him.

A missing child report was lodged, the Fire and Rescue Services Department came and went, and Mum Taj has seen more than 30 bomoh.

A rescue officer told Mum Taj that from his experience, the boy didn't fall into a drain.

"I believe him, because Kushairi is afraid of water. Even in Sunway Lagoon, he didn't want to mandi. He'd hold on tight to us when he had to cross over some drains.

"I also know my son didn't follow a stranger because he's shy. He doesn't talk, play or go near any stranger."

All the shamans, said Mum Taj, told her that her son is alive.

"They told me, saudara ambik. Saudara sakit hati. Budak itu di tangan orang. Siapa takde anak."

(A relative took him away because of angst. The child is in someone's hands. Someone who is childless.)

Even before this revelation, Mum Taj's instinct told her the same.

A few more reports were lodged, the case was reclassified as abduction. Mum Taj has provided fresh information from time to time.

Calls to the police for updates all these years were always met with the response that they are too busy to meet us.

"People tell me not to worry since the bomoh said my son is being taken care of by someone. It's easy for people to say that. But I cannot live like that."

Mum Taj, who has four other children, is constantly worried about her son's welfare.

She doesn't know how well her son is treated, whether he has enough to eat.

"There's nothing much we can do but wait.

"In my dreams, my son hugs us and cries. He scolds us, asking why we never came and looked for him. It breaks my heart."
- New Straits Times

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