IT is time to review the standard operating procedure for reports of missing persons.

The investigation must start immediately when a report is filed even though it is yet to be established to be a criminal case. Normally police allow  24 hours before taking further action as statistics have shown that in most cases the missing person is found within this period.

This obviously has to change in view of the Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin case and other similar cases. The system in place now is based on the fact that a missing person’s report is not a criminal case until facts of the disappearance have been established.

That is rational but valuable time is lost, especially when the missing person’s life is in danger. The law does not allow speculation for reasons for the disappearance unless there is some evidence or suspicion to believe otherwise.

This is further compounded by the fact that the police do not have a department and logistics to cater to these sorts of inquiries.

A full criminal investigation only starts when there is suspicion that the disappearance is linked to a crime. There is valuable time lost in trying to re-establish whether there are criminal elements in the inquiry and this makes it extremely difficult for the investigator.

The case becomes exceedingly difficult to solve after the first 24 hours if there are no leads from the outset.

It is time to beef up the police or a set up an agency to specialise in missing persons.

A separate department with the manpower and logistics is required to make this an efficient arm to find missing persons .

The difference here is that investigations commence immediately. We may be able to save lives. – December 12, 2023.

* G. Selva reads The Malaysian Insight.