Family members want authorities to step up search for missing soldiers

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Thony (centre) speaking to reporters during a press conference. He was accompanied by family members of Moses and David.

KUCHING: Family members of missing Sarawakian soldiers Corporal David Edmund, 29 and Lance Corporal Moses Logers, 25 have urged authorities to step up search and rescue (SAR) operation, as they believed that the duo are still in Pulau Perak, Kedah.

Moses’ brother Thony Hilo Logers said the SAR operations should be assisted by other enforcement agencies like police, Fire and Rescue Department and Civil Defence Force for better coverage of the search area.

“We believe they are still on the island waiting to be found and rescued, especially when they are there for the duty to protect the nation.

“Surely the government should not just let them stay missing,” he said in a press conference with another brother James Mathew, David’s elder brother Morni Edmund and other relatives today.

The families of the have lodged two separate police reports to call for the investigation into the disappearance of Moses and David.

Moses and David, who are from the Fourth Battalion of the Royal Ranger Regiment (4RRD) based at Bukit Cowder Camp, Perlis were reported missing while on duty at Pejarak operation area in Pulau Perak, Kedah.

The absence of the two were detected on the late evening on July 19 when the Placement Chief made a parade of night checks to calculate the strength.

On July 29, Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said efforts to find the members of the armed forces by the three military branches were halted on July 26, as no new leads were discovered.

Thony stressed that as human lives are at stake, there is a need for a more detailed SAR operation.

He pointed out that SAR operations are usually very thorough when it involves missing civilians, and questioned why it was not the case for the two soldiers who were on duty at the island.

Thony said they were made to understand that the earlier operation was called off after a week.

“We want justice for Moses and David,” he said.

The family of Moses and David also expressed their disappointment over the lack of cooperation and updates from the Malaysian Armed Forces concerning the missing soldiers.

“There are still no news since July 19. We are beginning to feel as if their welfare has been neglected by their employer, as they went missing while on duty,” Thony said.

Thony revealed that his family even went to the location between July 22 and July 29 at their own expenses, hoping to meet Moses’ superiors and to see the situation for themselves, but their visit failed to lead to anything as they were not allowed to go on the island.

“ATM totally did not extend any help, whether financial or asset, to bring us there.

“From Day 1 until now, we are quite fed up already that there is still no news. Not only there is no help given to us, but there is also no (moral) support. Nobody came to see us about our missing family members,” he said.

The Borneo Post is contacting the Defence Ministry for its response on the matter.