Jas Jabar, a 77-year-old mother from Felda Sungai Sibol, Malaysia, holds onto a fervent hope that one day she will see her eldest son, Abdul Khalid Deman, again.
Son went missing 36 years ago in the US
His mother, Jas, and his siblings have never stopped missing him, and they have never held any resentment for his failure to return, understanding that there must have been reasons beyond their knowledge.
“Abang Long, please come home, I miss you. We don’t care about what happened before. Your siblings and I are not angry, even your late father was not angry. Before I close my eyes, I hope to see you,” Jas tearfully expressed.
Abdul Khalid left Malaysia in 1985 to pursue higher education. He completed his Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) and studied at the University of Southwestern Louisiana until 1989, reported Harian Metro.
During this period, he returned home twice, but after his last visit in 1988, he vanished without a trace.
A good-hearted son
Jas and her late husband, Deman Mohamad, who passed away 21 years ago, never blamed their son for not returning.
“For us, there must have been a reason for what happened, and we could not judge him,” Jas said.
Despite the years of absence, she holds onto hope, saying, “I really hope to meet my eldest son, whom I miss dearly.”
Rohani, 57, Abdul Khalid’s younger sister, recalls him as a soft-hearted and quiet person.
He was a former student at the Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) in Batu Rakit, Kuala Terengganu, and studied under the sponsorship of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) in the field of Bachelor of Science in Architecture.
“We didn’t keep in touch with Abang Long while he was abroad because back then, communication wasn’t as advanced as it is now. He did send a letter home once during his early days of study,” Rohani explained.
The last time the family saw Abdul Khalid was in 1988, and they have been in the dark about his whereabouts since.
JPN: No record was found
The family has made numerous efforts to locate Abdul Khalid. They checked with the National Registration Department (JPN), confirming he has not returned to Malaysia since his disappearance.
Mara also broadcasted information about missing students, including Abdul Khalid, on television. Despite these efforts, and even settling his student loan last year, the family remains without answers.
Recently, the search for Abdul Khalid gained attention on TikTok after being shared by his nephew. This led to connections with some of his old friends, but no substantial leads have emerged.
“We don’t know the reason for Abang Long’s disappearance, but we do not want to speculate. We really hope to get news of Abang Long and reunite with him if he is still in this world. That is our daily prayer,” Rohani shared.
The family remains hopeful that someone, somewhere, may have information about Abdul Khalid. Anyone with details about his whereabouts is urged to contact Rohani at 019-6862407.
