KUCHING: The family of a local woman who reportedly disappeared in May is now deeply concerned after receiving a RM10,000 ransom demand from an unknown individual.
The woman, identified as 26-year-old Vanessa Wong, is a divorcee with two children, aged six and eight. She was working as a waitress at a local bistro before her sudden disappearance.
Vanessa’s brother, who prefers to be known only as Wong, lodged a missing person report on May 19 after she failed to return home or respond to calls.
According to Wong, he was informed by a colleague that Vanessa had not shown up at work for over a week and (the colleague) had mentioned that she was travelling to Thailand, even sharing a video of his sister at the airport.
Fearing for her safety, Wong also made a social media appeal, asking the public for assistance in locating his sister.
“Two weeks later, I received a message from an unknown person demanding a RM10,000 ransom to free my sister, and the person claimed to be holding her passport.
“We requested to speak with her first, but the person refused. They warned that if we didn’t pay, she would be sold to Cambodia,” he said during a press conference held by Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Public Complaint Bureau chief Milton Foo Tiang Wee yesterday (Nov 4).
Wong said he sought Foo’s assistance last Saturday after losing contact with the alleged captor.
Foo had advised Wong to report the case to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sarawak Regional Office because the ministry could access entry records and alert Malaysian embassies in Thailand and neighbouring countries, such as Cambodia and Vietnam.
“I am also reaching out to the Malaysian Immigration Department to check records of departures from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
“In addition, I will contact the airline to confirm if Vanessa boarded a flight to Bangkok from Kuala Lumpur,” Foo said.
Foo added that after five months, there is a possibility Vanessa may have moved to another country, complicating efforts to locate her.
He said that he is awaiting further action from the Bukit Aman police headquarters regarding this case.
