The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) is investigating whether debt-related issues may be connected to the disappearance of a family of three who have been missing from their home in Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah, since 20 July.
Kubang Pasu District Police Chief Superintendent Mohd Radzi Abdul Rahim said investigators had received a police report lodged against one of the missing individuals, who is believed to have been involved in a kutu (rotating savings) scheme.
Disappearance possibly linked to debt
He said authorities would conduct a thorough investigation and have not ruled out the possibility that debt may have played a role in the family’s disappearance.
In an official statement, Mohd Radzi asserted,
“The case is still being investigated as a missing persons report, and police are appealing to the public to come forward with any information if they have seen the family.
“We are investigating all possible angles, including the possibility that they may have been victims of a crime or an accident.”
Elderly father lodges police report
The case came to light after an elderly man lodged a police report, claiming that his daughter, son-in-law, and grandson had been unreachable since 20 July.
The report was filed at the Bukit Kayu Hitam Police Station on Monday out of concern for the family’s safety. The missing individuals have been identified as Khairul Azhar Ahmad, 39; his wife, Siti Zulaikha Ahmad Sabri, 36; and their 9-year-old son, Adid Khairul Azhar, a pupil at SK Felda Batu 8, Changlun.
Mohd Radzi said the family has yet to be located, and checks with immigration authorities revealed no record of them leaving the country.
For illustration purposes only
What is a kutu scheme?
For reference, a kutu fund is a traditional savings scheme that allows a group of individuals to raise quick cash through weekly or monthly contributions.
The pooled money from a kutu fund is periodically withdrawn by the group leader and given to a participant, typically determined by a random draw or sequence.
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