KOTA KINABALU: The mother of a crewmember of missing cargo ship MV Dai Cat 06 is praying for her son's safe return as mystery surrounds the disappearance of the vessel.
Ratna Abu, 53, said that she can't help but worry and hopes her youngest son Mohammad Sudeh Sudin, 20, returns home safely.
Ratna told this to Sandakan MP Vivian Wong who visited Sudeh's family who lives in Sandakan.
"It is very heart wrenching to see Sudeh's mother crying and worrying about her son," Wong said.
Sudeh's mother said there had been no news of her son’s whereabouts since they received word about the missing cargo vessel.
Wong said Sudeh's mother was also feeling very weak as she worried continuously about the fate of her son.
"They just don't know what has happened to their son and his other friends," Wong said.
Sudeh's family members told Wong that the last time Sudeh contacted them was early this year.
Wong said that the Federal Cabinet is expected to discuss the issue of the missing cargo ship.
"We pray that the search and rescue missions can be carried out in the best possible way and all crewmembers will be found safe as well as the family members to stay strong and persevere in facing the situation," she added.
Earlier this week, family members of another crew member Derrent Littor, 22, from Kota Kinabalu called on authorities not to give up the search for the missing ship and its five crewmen - two Indonesians and three Malaysians.
The family said that they talked to Derrent on Jan 1 and he said that he was in Singapore waters.
The ship's captain was identified as Adi, 43, and its chief engineer Damai Papane Ole, both Indonesians while the vessel's operations chief, Mohammad Syafarizan Mohd Noor, 24 was a Malaysian.
Earlier Wednesday (Jan 18), Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director-general Maritime Admiral Datuk Mohd Zubil Mat Som told Bernama that they will be recording statements from the owner and family members of the crewmen of the missing cargo ship in their investigations.
He said that the inquiry was needed to get answers to some questions about the ship’s disappearance. They also wanted to establish if the ship's safety standards and crew's welfare was taken care of.
Admiral Mohf Zubil also said that they needed to know why the ship was reported missing only on Jan 9 when it was supposed to have arrived in Kuching on Dec 31.
The ship was carrying a cargo of pipe rods valued at RM726,205 and went missing in Indonesian waters.
Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) called off the search on Jan 14 after no new clues were found.
