KOTA KINABALU: Police are verifying new ‘information’ that emerged following the remand of Min You’s parents as well as a 31-year-old man who is said to be the father’s friend, said Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib.
“There are so many reasons why we have remanded the parents,” he said, but declined to elaborate as to what the parents were being investigated for fearing it might jeopardize police investigation.
Meanwhile, Hamza said they were not looking at other individuals apart from the parents and the friend in this case for the time being.
“We will focus on these three for now,” he said, adding that police have high hopes that Min You was still alive.
The case is currently being investigated under Section 365 of the Penal Code for kidnapping.
Meanwhile, city police chief ACP Jauteh Dikun reminded the public, including netizens, to stop creating false rumours on the disappearance of Min You as it could hamper police investigation.
The reminder was issued following claims made in social media, Facebook and Whatsapp, that the boy was spotted in Keningau and was also found hiding in Bukit Padang here in the last couple of days.
Jauteh said such rumours would only make things worse for Min You’s family who is going through a hard time.
However, he confirmed that police have remanded the child’s parents for three days to facilitate police investigation.
“We will also investigate this case under Section 31 (1) of the Children Act 2001,” he added.
On Thursday, the Magistrate’s Court here ordered the child’s parents to be remanded for three days to facilitate police investigation.
Court registrar Danny Buaya, granted the application made in chambers by investigating officer Inspector Shreethran Balan for a remand order against the husband, 31, and wife, 26.
The remand application was made on account of the conflicting statements given by the couple.
Min You, who was clad in a white T-shirt and blue short pants, was reported missing around 6am when his 31-year-old father, Yee Sheng, left him alone inside their Toyota Vigo four-wheel-drive vehicle with its engine running at the Shell fuel station in Kampung Air to go to the toilet.
When the father returned a few minutes later, he found the vehicle missing along with Low who was asleep in the back seat.
Less than four hours after the incident, the police found the abandoned Vigo vehicle at the Atkinson clock tower on Signal Hill, but Low was nowhere to the found and remains missing since.