Singaporean PR injuried while rescuing kidnapped son in JB; police nab main suspect

JOHOR, MALAYSIA: Authorities in Malaysia have apprehended a 41-year-old mechanic suspected of orchestrating the attempted abduction of a seven-year-old Singaporean boy last Tuesday (12 Dec).

The primary suspect, known to the boy’s 40-year-old businessman father, allegedly sought to extort a sum of RM300,000 (about US$64,460) from the victim.

The businessman is a Chinese national residing in Singapore with permanent resident (PR) status.

According to Malaysian media outlet the New Straits Times, none of the suspects received any ransom, as the police successfully apprehended the main suspect on the same day as the incident.

M. Kumar, Johor’s Acting Police Chief Deputy Commissioner, stated that authorities are still pursuing the three alleged accomplices involved in the kidnapping case.

Father’s desperate pursuit to rescue his kidnapped boy

On 12 December, the businessman accompanied by his wife and their two children—a son and a daughter—visited Jalan Serampang in Taman Pelangi to explore potential shop-lots for the intended opening of a workshop.

While the parents were inside the shop lot, their children played outside along the pathway.

Suddenly, three unidentified men in a champagne-coloured car forcibly took hold of the businessman’s son, swiftly ushering him into their vehicle before speeding away around 4:30 pm.

CCTV footage circulated on the Malaysian Facebook group “Latest Accident/Crime Info throughout Malaysia,” vividly captured the three suspects perpetrating the crime.

Witnessing this alarming scene, the girl rushed inside, panic-stricken, and urgently declared that her brother had been abducted.

The father immediately got into his car and gave chase.

He successfully intercepted the alleged kidnappers’ vehicle, blocking it with his car in front of the Crystal Crown Hotel in Taman Century.

Rushing out of his vehicle, he forcefully pounded his fist against the driver’s window, causing it to shatter on impact.

Despite his efforts, the alleged kidnappers collided with the rear of his car, reversing it while he clung desperately to the doorframe.

Dragged for several meters, he struggled to maintain his hold before finally losing his grip and tumbling away.

Despite severe injuries, the father persevered, catching a glimpse of the three alleged abductors and his traumatized son still inside the speeding vehicle.

He then quickly returned to his car and resumed the pursuit of the suspect’s vehicle, which ran a red light recklessly after abruptly turning at a traffic junction.

However, the kidnappers abandoned their vehicle, leaving his shaken son behind approximately 3 km from the junction.

Primary suspect charged, three accomplices subject to police manhunt

Kumar confirmed that the main suspect, who is acquainted with the boy’s father, was charged on Tuesday (19 Dec) under Section 363 of the Penal Code for the crime of kidnapping.

“The case is still under legal proceedings in court, and if convicted the suspect may face a seven-year imprisonment term.”

“The alleged mastermind’s three accomplices, in their 30s, have been identified and a manhunt is ongoing to flush them out of their hiding places.”

“It was not a business dispute that triggered the attempted abduction, but greed and disrespect for the law. The victim and the suspect were on good talking terms when the incident occurred,” he told the media.

Kumar explained that the father became acquainted with the main suspect after entrusting his car to the suspect’s workshop in Taman Pelangi over six months ago.

Their communication continued regularly as the businessman, who also practices as a mechanic, expressed his aspirations to establish a workshop in Taman Pelangi.

It is suspected that the main suspect rented a champagne-coloured car and enlisted three accomplices.

“Our investigations revealed that the father had a cordial relationship with the mastermind behind the attempted abduction, primarily driven by monetary motives,” he elaborated.

“We take incidents like this very seriously, prioritizing the safety of the public and visitors. ”

“I must stress, that this remains an isolated case, and I urge against speculative assumptions with negative implications.”