(Un)Popular Opinion | Over the course of 72 hours, Malaysians were deep in prayer and anxiety after it was reported that 6-year-old Albertine Leo Jia Hui disappeared from her parents’ sight in JB last Saturday (Jul 20).
Thankfully, she was found in a safe and unhurt condition by police today following a nationwide search and five individuals believed to be behind the alleged kidnapping have been arrested so far.
Amidst the overwhelming relief that has washed over Malaysians, we mustn’t forget the people who have played a role in ensuring Jia Hui’s safe return to her parents, which I will do so in the paragraphs to follow.
Business places and corporations
When it comes to cases of children being abducted in broad daylight, it’s not usual for companies or giant corporations to offer a hand in finding them.
But in Jia Hui’s case, this was exactly what happened.
One prime example of this was KK Super Mart, who took it upon themselves to personally spend its resources on displaying Jia Hui’s missing person notice at their 866 stores across the country.
It’s not everyday that one would see a retail chain of KK Super Mart’s stature to do something like this, but when it does happen, it’s nevertheless a heartwarming sight to see.
Aside from disseminating the missing person notice, companies have also generously offered to reward those who successfully find Jia Hui out from their own pockets, as seen in the case of ALBB Consultancy Sdn Bhd, an insurance company which placed a hefty RM50,000 reward for her return.
The police
For decades, the Malaysian police have long struggled to shed its image of being a corrupt, tainted entity which only seemed to serve the interests of the rich and powerful.
But as the saying goes, ‘Credit where credit is due’, you definitely have to hand it to them for their relentless search for Jia Hui.
As soon as news of her disappearance emerged, the police quickly sprang into action and deployed everything at their disposal, including the K9 unit, to track down Jia Hui. And thanks to their efforts, they were eventually able to find her in Batang Kali and arrest those allegedly responsible for her disappearance.
When it was reported that Jia Hui had been found, a colleague of mine (half-jokingly) commented that he “felt a bit safer” and was glad to see the police do what they were tasked to do.
While he definitely meant it in a tongue-in-cheek manner, I couldn’t quite blame him as like many Malaysians, he had become disillusioned by scandals that have dogged the police for years. But for now, I’m 100% commending them for their efforts in bringing Jia Hui home.
Ordinary Malaysians (like you!)
On the first day of Jia Hui’s disappearance, my Facebook feed was inundated by posts which pleaded for help in finding her shared by both friends and strangers.
What surprised me even more than even controversial figures like Kiang Jau Sang (江æ˜ä¸Š), mostly known for his outrageous antics, were equally as invested in the matter.
Even as I was sifting through the endless posts about Jia Hui, I was struck by a common theme that seemed to hold it all: the sense of unity that Malaysia is so proud of.
The posts were shared in multiple languages such as English, Malay, and Mandarin so that it could reach a wider audience and it all had the same goal — that is to bring Jia Hui home.
But most of all, Jia Hui’s disappearance has proven once again that despite of our differences and disagreements, Malaysians can actually come together and work towards a common goal when their minds are put into it.
And because of this unity, word about Jia Hui’s disappearance went viral and undoubtedly played a role in police being able to find her.
So to all Malaysians, whether you worked alongside the authorities or simply reshared a post about Jia Hui on social media, thank you for playing a part in bringing her home!
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and does not purport to reflect the opinions or views of WeirdKaya.
READ ALSO:
