KUCHING: Family members of missing Sarawakian soldiers Corporal David Edmund Rapi and Lance Corporal Moses Logers are urging authorities to step up the search for the two men, who are believed to be still in Pulau Perak in Kedah.
They also expressed their disappointment at the lack of cooperation and updates from the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) concerning the duo.
“There is still no news since July 19. We are beginning to feel as if their (missing soldiers) welfare has been neglected by their employer, as they went missing while on duty,” said Moses’ brother Thony Hilo Logers at a press conference yesterday together with another brother James Mathew, as well as David’s elder brother Morni Edmund and other relatives.
Thony revealed that from July 22 to July 29, family members had gone to the location hoping to meet Moses’ superiors and to see the situation for themselves.
“We went there at own expense, but it did not lead to anything as we were not allowed to go on the island. ATM totally did not extend any help, whether financial or asset-wise, to bring us there.
“From Day 1 until now, we are quite fed up already that there is still no news. Not only was no help given to us, but there was also no (moral) support. Nobody came to see us about our missing family members,” he said.
The families have made two separate police reports to call for investigation into the disappearance of Moses and David.
Thony also urged for the search operation to continue, and for it to 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. Surely the government will not just let them stay missing.”
He stressed that human lives are at stake and that a more detailed search operation is needed, especially after an earlier operation was called off after only about a week.
“Usually, search-and-rescue operations are very thorough when it involves missing civilians. Why is it not the case for these two soldiers who were on duty on the island?”
Moses, 25, and David, 39, from the 4th Battalion of the Royal Ranger Regiment based at Bukit Cowder Camp, Perlis were reported missing while on duty an ‘Op Pejarak’ operation at Pulau Perak, Kedah.
Their absence was detected during a roll call on July 19.
Attempts by The Borneo Post to reach Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu and Armed Forces Chief Tan Sri Zulkifli Zainal Abidin for comments on the matter, were unsuccessful as of press time yesterday.