Let Your Family Know Your Whereabouts: Police

Acting Police Commissioner, Juki Fong Chew, is calling on the public to remain cautious about their safety when travelling during this festive season.

His comments are a response to the increasing number of missing people reported in the last few months.

Mr Chew said reports of missing people only came to them when their family members report of them missing for more than a day.

“The onus in on people to communicate with their families and inform them of their whereabouts and how long they will be away from home,” CP Chew said.

“Families get anxious when people do not return home. They start to report and while we are doing our searches, we then come to know that the missing person hasn’t informed their parents about their whereabouts.

“A lot of resources have been committed to look for those missing but we continue to do our work as police officers looking for them.”

He said many of those missing are aged between 16 and 18 years.

Mr Chew said in many cases, police have had to refrain from intervening in such cases as many claim about their freedom of rights.

“To make it worse, they stand on the side with their camera to see what the police will do,” he said.

“When it’s your right, police will not do anything, we do not try to infringe your rights but always think about security and be cautious of your environment.

“Anything can happen to anybody irrespective of age.”

Assistant Commissioner Police Operation, Livai Driu, while sharing the same sentiments, said missing people cases weren’t many in the past but it’s now an area that police was focussed on.

“We are taking all these cases seriously and we are directing our investigators to give more effort into these cases,” ACPO Driu said.

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