Search ongoing for 2 missing Singaporean hikers in Johor

SINGAPORE — Dozens of Malaysian rescuers and volunteers are searching for two Singaporean hikers who have gone missing from the Gunung Pulai area in Kulai, Johor, since Monday (Feb 5).

Kulai District Police chief Superintendent Dzulkhairi Mukhtar told TODAY on Wednesday (Feb 7) that about 60 personnel from the police and the state Fire and Rescue Department are involved in the ongoing search-and-rescue operation on the mountain.

Some 40 volunteers from a local hiking team are helping out as well.

According to Superintendent Dzulkahiri, the two Singaporeans — a man and a woman, both 27 years old — had entered a forested area at about 12.40pm on Monday.

Search operations began later that evening after the woman’s mother called the authorities to report that the pair had gone missing.

Johor police chief Khalil Kader Mohd identified the missing woman as Ms Lum Jie.

The missing man, identified as Mr Tan Chang Xiang, Dominick, had made two calls to the police on Monday. Mr Tan is said to be working as a security officer. 

Mr Khalil said that their identities were obtained from family members.

“Both are friends and the man is an experienced hiker who has climbed Gunung Pulai previously,” the police chief added.

“However, we do not discount the possibility that both did not use the usual trails and this may have caused them to get lost.”

After receiving the first distress call at 5.40pm, the local authorities sent in rescuers as well as a canine unit with the police to help track down the duo. Rescuers searched along at least 10 different trek routes but to no avail.

The police managed to trace the general location of the man following his second phone call at 10pm, and began searching a 36 kilometres square area where the phone signal had last been detected.

A spokesperson from Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Singapore Consulate-General in Johor Baru is in contact with the local authorities, adding that Singapore officials are also in the area to assist families of the affected Singaporeans.