Johor Bahru Utara police chief ACP Mohd Taib Ahmad said the case of the five siblings, aged between 10 and 17, who were reported missing since Oct 31 would now be investigated under Section 363 of the Penal Code for kidnapping children from a legitimate care centre.
“So far, our investigation team have visited 11 houses, including in Bukit Gambir, Muar; as well as Mutiara Rini, Pasir Gudang and Ulu Tiram, all in Johor Bahru, where we suspected all of them would be, but as of midnight yesterday, police have yet to track them down.
“The change in classification of the case will enable us to take more aggressive action and give more power to the police to conduct checks on premises where we suspect they are,” he told reporters here today.
Taib said so far, police have interviewed the whole family on the side of the children’s mother and some from their father’s side.
“We have interviewed 11 family members and will look at the possibility that they were with non-family members as well as track down the families of their father and other relatives.
Taib said investigations found that the siblings were earlier placed in a welfare home in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, before they were moved to Johor Bahru under the care of the Welfare Services Department and placed at the Shen De Welfare Association since July.
However, the welfare home at that location was closed down and it is understood that it is now operating under a new name, with the police making checks to trace it.
On Oct 31, Yeo Soon Chuan, 17; Yeo Soon Shen, 16; Yeo Soon Yuan, 13; Yeo Soon Hoo, 12; and Yeo Soon Lian, 10, went missing about 10pm while attending a religious ceremony at the Tian Hou Shen Gong Devotees Association, Taman Tun Aminah, here.
Police urged anyone with any information on their whereabouts to contact the nearest police station.
Information can also be sent to senior criminal investigations officer at the Johor Bahru Utara district police headquarters ASP Victor Ganesan at tel 016-7552626 or Johor Bahru Utara police headquarters criminal investigations head ASP Arbae Makdor at tel 019-7557999 or any police station.