IT is still too early to draw any conclusions on what could have happened to the two soldiers who were reported missing on July 19 while deployed to Pulau Perak for an exercise, army chief Ahmad Hasbullah Mohd Nawawi said.

He also refused to comment on speculations that the two could have gone AWOL (absence without official leave).

In reply to queries from The Malaysian Insight if the soldiers could have deserted, Ahmad said the army headquarters could only determine that after receiving the official inquiry report.

The search for the two men, both from Sarawak – Corporal David Edmund Rapi from Dalat, Mukah and Lance Corporal Moses Logers from Bau – on the small rocky island in the middle of the Straits of Malacca, is continuing.

Earlier today, Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu told journalists in Putrajaya that the search on land for them is continuing but the sea search would only resume if the army has new leads.

Rapi’s elder brother, Morni, who is in Alor Setar with his parents and a younger sister to seek answers on his disappearance and collect all his personal belongings, sounded positive when contacted by phone.

Morni said the army had treated him and his family well in their search for answers over the disappearance.

“We are satisfied with the information they (the army) are giving us,” he said.

But Morni would not disclose what they were told of the disappearance, the search, or the chances of ever finding his brother alive.

He said he had been gagged but would not say by whom.

“I’m sorry I can’t comment much, or (answer your question) if he is still alive.

“But I can say the army has been very accommodating and we are positive (of a happy ending to the search),” he said.

Morni said the family would release a statement soon.

Morni, his father Edmund Rapi Idal, mother Teresa Hamline Neh and a younger sister, Nur Lina Aisyah, flew to Kedah on August 15 with some financial assistance from the Sarawak government.

Their stay in Alor Setar was at a rest house in an army camp.

Their travel was arranged by their elected representative, Sarawak Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Fatimah Abdullah.

They are returning home tomorrow.

Sarawak PKR today also dismissed claims that the assistance to get the soldiers’ next-of-kin to Kedah were given according to their political support.

The family of Corporal Logers, who went to Kedah earlier on July 23, was sponsored by Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian.

“That’s not true,” Simon Siah, one of Baru’s special assistants appointed to liaise with the Defence Ministry and the Logers’ family, said when contacted.

“There’s no politics involved here. They (Loger’s family) approached Baru for financial assistance because one of Logers’ relatives, a former serviceman, is a member of Pertubuhan Prihatin Bekas Anggota Keselamatan Malaysia (Pahlawan), of which Baru is the patron.

“Baru’s assistance is genuine. Nothing to do with political support,” Siah said as he brushed off the claims.

Logers’ kinfolk had gone to Kedah and the island after accusing the army of failing to inform them of what was happening.

They said it had cost them RM10,000 to rent a boat to get to the island and back.

The defence minister reportedly will be in Kuching this Sunday to meet with the missing soldiers’ families. – August 16, 2019.