Social media network helps locate missing boy

GEORGE TOWN: The 10-year-old son of a PKR state assemblyman who went missing from his school in Batu Lanchang was found after the politician and his party comrades took to the social media network to locate him.

Sakhti, who went missing at 3pm yesterday, was later found about 8km away from the school at around midnight, ending Batu Uban assemblyman S. Raveentharan and his family’s anxiety.

The politician had lodged a police report after attempts by friends and relatives to trace the Year Four boy were unsuccessful.

At around 9.30pm, Raveentharan posted a message on his Facebook account that his son had gone missing.

At the same time, his personal assistant Karolyn Corr posted a similar message and word began to spread online and via handphone text messages that the boy was missing.

Pantai Jerejak assemblyman Sim Tze Tzin tweeted about the incident at around 9.30pm, seeking public help to trace the boy.

It is learnt that the boy’s school backpack with his uniform inside was found abandoned near the school, prompting more worries.

Sim said neighbourhood volunteer security patrol teams also went on a search for the boy.

“I was told that the search even extended to Kulim,” said Sim, who remained in close contact with Penang chief police officer Deputy Comm Datuk Wira Ayub Yaakub.

He also expressed his gratitude to the police for helping to locate the boy and to all those involved in the search.

DCP Ayub later confirmed that the boy was found, adding that investigation would be carried out as to how he had gone missing.