KUCHING, March 12 — The search for a four-year old boy, who was reported missing near an oil palm plantation in Pantu, Sri Aman, on March 4, has been discontinued late this afternoon.
A spokesman of the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) operation centre said the family members have consented for the search to be discontinued as there is no fresh sign of the child, Patrick Igih anak Mahammed Taufik.
The spokesman said the child was following his father and grandfather, who are from Kampung Rapak Baru in Pantu, to cut a tree about 2pm on March 4.
He added the child was left alone at a hut while his father and grandfather went up a steep slope to cut a tree.
He said when the father and grandfather returned, he was nowhere to be seen.
“According to a villager who was harvesting paddy, the child was seen going to where his father had parked this motorcycle on the roadside, about 200 metres away from the hut,” the spokesman said.
He said after searching frantically for his son, Mohammed Taufik then called for the police to help.
The spokesman said the boy had only a bottle of milk when he followed his father and grandfather going out.
“Our search covered a five-kilometre radius from the spot where the boy was last seen,” he said.
He added the only sign of the boy was that he had stopped to ease himself at the foot of Kelingkang range.
The search party involved 68 personnel from Bomba, police, civil defence department, Rela, Sarawak Forestry Corporation and the villagers.
