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A Malaysian woman who had been missing since 2004 has finally returned home after being found in Flores, Indonesia, ending her family's 22-year search
According to Berita RTM, Mariam Mohamad Nazeri arrived at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport at around 10pm on Tuesday, 21 July, on a Batik Air Malaysia flight from Indonesia.
Mariam is believed to have left Malaysia for Indonesia with her daughter in 2004 before losing contact with her family, her niece Norshamsiah Zainal Abidin said.
The family received one final phone call from Mariam in 2011.
During the call, she was said to be in distress and pleaded for help to return to Malaysia.
They lost contact with her again after that.
Refusing to give up, the family spent years trying to track her down with the help of Pertubuhan Kebajikan Malaysia (PEKEMAS), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Immigration Department, the National Registration Department (JPN), the Malaysian Embassy in Indonesia, as well as social media and residents in Flores.
Norshamsiah said the search was especially difficult because Flores consists of numerous islands and remote villages, making it challenging to locate Mariam.
The family also built connections with local communities in Flores, which eventually led to information that helped locate her.
She was placed under temporary care before returning to Malaysia
After she was found, Mariam was placed under temporary care in Flores while the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta completed the necessary documentation to facilitate her return.
PEKEMAS adviser Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said bringing Mariam home required close coordination between multiple agencies.
Her return was also delayed after volcanic activity in Indonesia disrupted travel plans.
Despite the setbacks, Mariam safely arrived back in Malaysia yesterday night, ending more than two decades of uncertainty for her family.
