Family of missing 81-year-old man seeking help with search and rescue

KULAI: The family of an 81-year-old man is worried for his safety as it has been one week since he left his home and failed to return.

Contractor Chan Chun Hsin, 55, said his father Chan Siew Chin left his home in Ayer Bemban on a motorcycle at around 9am last Wednesday (Oct 19) as part of his daily routine to tend to his oil palm plantation.

“He usually spends about 30 minutes to an hour at the plantation before heading home. When he did not return at around 1.30pm that day, my mother started feeling anxious and told us (family members) to seek help,” he said.

Chun Hsin said that a search for his father at the plantation and surrounding area was unsuccessful.

“We also tried other ways to get the message out including lodging a police report the next day and using social media to ask the public to help us track down my father,” he said.

He added that Siew Chin was last seen wearing an orange long-sleeved shirt and black trousers.

“My father is a healthy man but he tends to be forgetful at times. He has never gone missing before and the whole family is quite worried about his safety,” Chun Hsin added.

Johor Mentri Besar special officer Chua Jian Boon hoped those with information about Siew Chin could get in touch with him at 016-7414 828 or Chun Hsin (019-7122 178) immediately.

“I also urge residents living in Kelapa Sawit and Bukit Batu to continue keeping an eye out for the senior citizen as some members of the public reportedly noticed him in those areas,” he said, adding that he has informed village chiefs to help as well.

The MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau deputy chief then added that two other senior citizens have gone missing in the past few days but both have been found and have returned home safely.

On Oct 21, a 70-year-old man from Kempas, Johor Baru lost his way while driving to his son’s shop in Pasir Gudang.

He ended up in Mersing, some 130km away, and was found the following day.

Meanwhile, another 80-year-old man from Taman Bahagia, Pekan Nanas went missing on Oct 22 after leaving his home to go to a coffee shop.

He was also found on Monday (Oct 24) morning in an oil palm estate nearby.

With the help of Pekan Nanas assemblyman Tan Eng Meng, the man was sent to the Pontian Hospital for medical attention where he also reunited with his family.