Search radius for missing headmistress to be reduced from tomorrow

Starting tomorrow, the search radius of three-square kilometre for the missing headmistress, Jashiah Rabu, will be reduced with focus to be given on the location where she was last spotted.

Selangor Police chief Datuk Abdul Samah Mat said the decision was made after taking into consideration the relevant factors, such as the thick forest, the age and the energy level of the 53-year-old headmistress.

"We have to focus the search to a reasonable area as we believe that at her age, she will not be able to move that far away into the forest," he told reporters here today.

Earlier, Abdul Samah visited the search and rescue (SAR) operation control centre at the Bukit Kutu Forest Reserve here.

Jashiah, the headmistress of Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Taman Keramat Satu, was reported missing since Oct 23 after leaving her house in Taman Seri Seruling on foot, and by hitching a ride for a distance of about 10km to an Orang Asli village.

She was last spotted in a rubber plantation near Bukit Kutu, about 2km from the SAR operation control centre.

On today's operation, Abu Samah said the search in the 3 sq km radius involved 75 personnel from the police, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Department, Volunteers Department, staff of Gombak and Hulu Selangor District Education Offices, as well as the villagers.

On the effort of leaving the headmistress a 'Talian Hayat' or food packs in 30 strategic locations around the search area, he said there was no sign that the victim had found the items.

"Today, a paragliding trooper dropped 29 other packs in the forest with the hope that it would be found by the victim," he added.