The whereabouts of a six-year-old Malaysian girl are still unknown after she went missing in Johor Bahru (JB) over the weekend.
According to an alert posted by the Malaysian police on Facebook, Albertine Leo Jia Hui was last seen at Eco Galleria, a shopping mall in JB.
Up to RM70,000 (S$20,120) in rewards have been offered to those who can facilitate her safe return.
Albertine was last seen wearing a pink T-shirt with a Minnie Mouse logo and shorts, the police’s post said.
The girl, who is about 1.2m tall, was at the Bon Odori Festival held in the mall on Saturday (20 July) when she went missing at about 8.30pm, The Star quoted district police chief M. Kumarasan as saying.
Those who have information about her whereabouts are urged to contact the police, who had deployed dogs to search for her at the scene.
The girl’s parents are reportedly traders who were taking part in the festival, which was of Japanese food and culture.
Her mother Leo Qieo Xin, 37, told The Star that she had come to JB from Kluang to sell drinks at the festival.
She was busy attending to customers when she realised that Albertine had gone missing.
She was said to be playing near the stall at the time.
Mrs Leo said she was “worried sick” and urged the public not to spread false information over social media.
Unconfirmed claims reportedly spread over social media that the girl was seen at the JB customs with a man, sparking concerns that she might have been taken to Singapore.
Albertine’s case has attracted the attention of Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi, who publicised it over Facebook.
In his appeal, he urged anyone with information to approach the police, who are working to find her.
A number of parties have also offered rewards of RM70,000 (S$20,120) in total for information that would lead to Albertine’s safe return.
One of them is a restaurant named Six Cafe in JB. A post by its owner, known only as Mr Phang, went viral over social media when he offered RM10,000 (S$2,875) to anyone who could find the girl.
The offer, confirmed by the New Straits Times (NST), was reportedly made as Mr Phang also has children and felt “heartbroken” when he heard of Albertine’s disappearance.
Anyone who finds the girl should bring her to the cafe first to avoid scams, a cafe representative told NST. They will then bring the child to the police station together.
Another reward was offered by ALBB Consultancy Sdn Bhd, an insurance agency in Malaysia.
In a Facebook post, it appealed to the public for clues on Albertine’s whereabouts.
The company said it’s willing to pay out RM50,000 (S$14,377) to anyone who could bring the girl to them.
Even an influencer has gotten in on the search. In a Facebook reel, lawyer Kiang Jau Sang (江昭上) said it was important to find Albertine as soon as possible, adding:
The longer it drags on, the slimmer the chances of finding her.
To aid in her return, he will give RM10,000 (S$2,875) to anybody who could bring the girl safely back to her mother.
Those who have information on her whereabouts can contact the Malaysian police hotline at 019-2792095 or Inspector Ridzuan Abd Hadi at 017-7051097.
Also read: 2-Year-Old M’sian Boy Goes Missing In Downpour While Mum Mans Stall, Body Found In Drain
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Featured image adapted from 管我屁事 Facebook.
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