Fatimah speaks to reporters at the press conference, accompanied by the family members of the missing soldiers. Video by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING: The state government will fly the family members of missing Sarawakian soldiers Corporal David Edmund Rapi and Lance Corporal Moses Logers to Langkawi.
Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said that the family members would be flown to Langkawi after the state government got the green light from the Defence Ministry.
“I have already informed Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg about this matter and we want to show moral support for the families of Corporal David and Lance Corporal Moses. We will contact the Defence Ministry to convey the family members’ wishes, which is to meet with the parties in-charge of the search and rescue operation to have a briefing and if allowed, join in the operation.
“Once we have the dates (from the Defence Ministry), we will arrange the flights, accomodation and so on. We will also help to obtain the necessary permissions because Pulau Perak in Kedah is one of the areas under the Defence Ministry’s control, so we cannot just go there anyhow we like,” Fatimah told reporters when met at Baitulmakmur Complex earlier today.
Fatimah had met with Lance Corporal Moses’ brothers James Matthew Logers and Thony Hilo Logers as well as Corporal David’s older brother Morni Edmund Rapi.
Fatimah added that the state government would be working with the State Security Unit and Rumah Sarawak in Kuala Lumpur to send two family members respectively to Langkawi.
The family members of the soldiers had called for a press conference on Monday to urge authorities to step up the search for the two men, who are believed to still be on Pulau Perak in Kedah.
The two missing soldiers are from the Fourth Battalion of the Royal Ranger Regiment based at Bukit Cowder Camp, Perlis and were reported missing while on duty at Pejarak operation area there.
Their absence was detected on July 19.
On July 29, Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said that efforts to find the members of the armed forces by the three military branches had been halted on July 26, as no new leads were discovered.