THE police have been receiving an average of 900 missing persons reports annually for the past five years, said Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. 

He said this in dismissing claims of an increase in missing persons in the country in recent years. 

“The fact is, over the last five years, the average has been about 900 cases every year. 

“There is no pattern of a sudden spike (according to) our data from 2020 to June this year,” he said in a speech at the ministry’s monthly meeting in Putrajaya, The Star Online reported. 

Over the weekend, six-year-old Albertine Leo Jia Hui had gone missing during an event in Johor Baru. She was, however, found safe in a hotel in Batang Kali, Hulu Selangor this morning. 

Johor police chief M. Kumar said a police team had raided a hotel and rescued the girl. A male suspect who was with her has been arrested. 

Kumar added that five suspects have been arrested in connection with the case, but police are still trying to determine the motive for the kidnapping. – July 22, 2024.