Dedicated to the job: ASP Liew (left) and Insp Zamzuri were among seven policemen who received the Inspector-General of Police’s certificate of recognition for their role in solving two missing persons cases in the state. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
JOHOR BARU: Being in the police force for more than a decade, Asst Supt Liew Choon Yoong has seen his fair share of cases but the recent incident of a six-year-old girl who went missing during a Bon Odori event here left a lasting impression on him.
The 38-year-old from the Johor Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was among those tasked with looking for the child after she was reported missing in Iskandar Puteri at around 8.30pm on July 20.
“When we received the report, our team sprang into action in hopes of finding the young girl safe in the shortest time possible.
“Besides exploring the scene where she was last seen and conducting the necessary investigations, we also went through hours and hours of all the closed-circuit television footage that we could get our hands on.
“This included views from roads and buildings in order to search for even the most minute of clues,” he said when interviewed at the Johor police headquarters here yesterday.
ASP Liew and six others had earlier received the Inspector-General of Police’s certificate of recognition, which was presented by Johor deputy police chief Deputy Comm Afandi Senin during the monthly police assembly.
“The case sparked national interest and we faced immense pressure to find her alive, but we kept our heads down and did our job. We were racing against the clock.
“Eventually, we had enough information and worked with our counterparts in other states, which led the police to find the girl alive and unhurt at a budget hotel in Batang Kali, Selangor.
“I, for one, felt a great sense of relief and satisfaction upon knowing that we contributed to her rescue.
“I was also very happy to see photos of the girl back in the arms of her loved ones,” he added.
ASP Liew, who is in the Special Operations Division (D8), said he had been handling abduction cases for the past six years.
He had also investigated other cases such as 32-year-old single mother Mira Sharmila Samsusah, also known as Bella, who went missing in Batu Pahat late last year.
The woman’s skeletal remains were found more than a month later on Jan 19, after police arrested the main suspect who led them to the location where her remains were scattered.
Meanwhile, Insp Zamzuri Mohd Jamil, 39, also received a certificate of recognition for his efforts in solving the murder of missing SK Kota Masai 3 teacher Istiqomah Ahmad Rozi.
His involvement and intelligence gathering led his team to confirm that the dismembered body found in a drain along the Alor Gajah-Tampin trunk road near Kampung Rimau in Melaka on Dec 31 was that of Istiqomah, 33.
“Although it was a tragic incident, I still felt glad that we were able to find her remains and provide her family some closure as well as justice for the victim,” said Insp Zamzuri, from the Special Investigation Division (D9) of the Johor CID.
The policeman of 13 years added that each missing person’s case reported to the authorities received equal attention.
“Such cases have to be taken seriously and reported to the police with as much information as possible for us to investigate the matter,” he said.
Meanwhile, DCP Afandi congratulated the certificate recipients for their excellent service.
“I hope that this will motivate the whole force to double their efforts to meet the people’s expectations of the police force,” he added.
