Malaysia to work with Indonesia on discovery of body at Pulau Rupat

MELAKA: Malaysia will work with Indonesia for confirmation on the discovery of a body at Pulau Rupat, Indonesia which is believed to be that of one of two fishermen feared drowned on Jan 13.

Melaka police chief, Datuk Abdul Majid Mohd Ali said it was too early to make any confirmation or speculation as the information available and investigation were still at the early stage.

He said Malaysian police needed at least a week to get confirmation on the matter as it involved several processes and the investigation was to be conducted by the Indonesian police since the body was found there.

''The police have obtained preliminary information on the discovery but we have to screen it again and will cooperate with the Indonesian police and this requires further and more detailed investigation.

''We will only make an application to bring home the body as soon as the investigation by the Indonesian police is completed,'' he told reporters after a food and drink kits contribution programme to roadblock frontliners at the Air Keroh Toll Plaza, here, today.

The food and drink kits, contributed by Melaka UMNO, were handed over by its Liaison Committee chairman and Melaka Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh for 928 police officers and personnel involved in manning roadblocks and COVID-19 standard operation procedure (SOP) compliance monitoring.

Based on the initial information obtained, Abdul Majid said the body was believed to be that of one of the fishermen who went missing in Pulau Undan recently and a Malaysian driver's licence was found on the fully-dressed body which had been decomposing for three to four days.

He said a search and rescue (SAR) operation began on Sunday to find the two fishermen but was stopped yesterday based on the stipulated SOP of the SAR.

Today, a viralled 14-second video showed a body in red shirt and black pants believed to be that of a local fisherman who was feared drowned, in the waters of Indonesia. A driving licence belonging to Ahmad Norizan Mohamad, 37, was also found on the body.

Bernama had reported that two fishermen, Ahmad Norizan Mohamad, 37, and Irwan Radjab, 47, were feared drowned while out fishing in the Straits of Melaka, near Pulau Undan, on Jan 13.

-- BERNAMA