Wan Junaidi: Be more enthusiastic in search for missing Sarawakian soldiers, like that of Franco-Irish teen

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Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar

KUCHING: Santubong MP Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuank Jaafar is urging the authorities involved in the search for two missing Sarawakian soldiers to be as enthusiastic in their efforts as they did with the missing person case of Franco-Irish teen Nora Quoirin.

“It is heartening to note that the government and authorities concerned had mounted the search for Nora, and deployed more than 350 personnel of various agencies involved and employed all kinds of assets, from helicopters, drones to heat imaging technology available in the country. An intensive search was conducted to ensure no stone remain unturned.

“What is noteworthy was their commitment and persistence in the search effort. On the other hand, the missing Sarawakian soldiers Corporal David Edmond Rapi from Dalat, Mukah and Lance Corporal Moses Logers from Senibong, Lundu seem to have been forgotten just like that,” Wan Junaidi lamented when contacted today.

He said the search was mounted on July 19 when they were discovered missing, and on July 26 was resumed again by only the military.

“What happen to the state emergency committee? Why are the other agencies like the police, APM (Civil Defence Force) and state search and rescue teams not involved? Have they employed helicopters, drones, imaging technology or dogs? If not, why not? I am dumbstruck.”

“What are the federal and state authorities actually doing there?” he asked.

The families of the two personnel are left with questions, not knowing what is going to happen next, he claimed.

“Where are the senior officers of the Ministry of Defence? Where is the prime minister and the deputy prime minister? Are the missing personnel a trivial matter to them or is it because they are Sarawakians and do not deserve their attention?” he questioned.

“Of course there is no reward of 10,000 pounds being offered for the search of these personnel. There are no international observers watching, whether they are found or not. They are just two poor soldiers from a small village in Sarawak. I am not politicising the issue but I am concerned and I am disappointed.”

He said the families of the two soldiers have approached the Sarawak government through the Ministry of Welfare, Community Well-being, Women, Family and Childhood Development for help but since the area of the search is outside Sarawak, it is for the agencies from the federal government to take the initiative now.

David, 39, and Moses, 25, were reported missing while taking part in ‘Ops Pejarak’ in Pulau Perak in Kedah on July 19.