BATU PAHAT: Police are intensifying their search for 43-year-old Edwin Soo Seng Kok, who vanished under mysterious circumstances in Batu Pahat, leaving both his family and authorities puzzled.
Soo's vehicle was found abandoned at 9am yesterday in an oil palm plantation in Parit Raja, its tyres stuck in the mud.
This discovery contrasts sharply with the last known details of his whereabouts – his home in Taman Bukit Perdana, where lights, fans, and air conditioning were still inexplicably on.
Batu Pahat district police chief Assistant Commissioner Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani confirmed that Soo was last seen on Monday, with his family reporting him missing after being unable to contact him.
He said a missing person report was filed at 11.38pm, prompting an immediate investigation.
He added that local residents reported seeing Soo in the area, asking for tap water and briefly resting near a house before disappearing without a trace.
Shahrulanuar said a comprehensive search involving the Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Force, and local residents is ongoing.
Despite extensive efforts covering surrounding towns, residential areas, and shophouses, Soo has not been found.
"We are treating this as a missing person case and urgently request public assistance," said Shahrulanuar.
Anyone with information is urged to contact investigating officer ASP Maimunah Sujak at 012-7916895, the Johor Contingent Police Hotline at 07-2212999, or Batu Pahat District Police Headquarters at 07-4343999.