BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 

THE grandson of missing person Hjh Salbiah Metassan found her belongings on the banks of a tributary in Kampung Lumapas on Monday night.

Grandson Muhammad Khairul went on one of his regular fishing trips in the village early Monday evening, said a spokesperson from the Royal Brunei Police Force. Whilst walking roughly at 6.45pm, he saw what appeared to be accessories of his grandmother washed up on the banks of the tributary.

Muhammad Khairul then informed his immediate family and a police report was subsequently lodged that same night.

Hjh Salbiah, 77 years old, has been missing since December 17, 2013.

The police did not come on Monday night, and The Brunei Times could not verify what time Hjh Salbiah’s family lodged the report of the discovery of her belongings.

By Tuesday morning, word of the news had spread like wildfire in the village and Kampung Lumapas residents flocked to the site where Hjh Salbiah’s accessories were found.

Kampung Lumapas traffic police who were on scene on Tuesday morning disallowed the residents from venturing into the investigation area.

Most of the people came as early as 11.30am and showed their support for the family, including the Legislative Council member representing Brunei-Muara district, Yang Berhormat Hj Jumat Akim and Penghulu of Mukim Lumapas Hj Bakar Mansor.

A member of the police force said that a police task force would arrive at the scene by 2pm.

By around 3pm, the dispatched police unit arrived with one walking team in green uniform from the Police Reserve Unit of the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) with 13 officers. Another team of marine police came to scout the area.

By 3.30pm, it started to rain and the tributary of the Brunei River gradually swelled. The onlookers had by then sought shelter, leaving the grandson alone standing in the rain as the members of the Police Reserve Unit appeared from the distance at around 4.30pm, all of them empty-handed.

Hjh Salbiah’s husband Hj Abd Rahman Hj Abdullah said: The search “has been going on for almost a month now and I have not been able to rest my mind at peace”.

“My grandson found her belongings yesterday (Monday) and my children and I who have been waiting since the morning are all deeply worried,” he added.

The Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) assured that a task force will return and continue the search.

Those with any information on Hjh Salbiah are advised to contact 8876165 or the hotline of the RBPF at 993 or Kampong Ayer Police Station at 2202114 or the nearest police station.

The Brunei Times