JAKARTA: Riau Police have launched an investigation into the death of a Malaysian national whose body was found under a pier on Rangsang Island, Meranti Islands regency recently.
Meranti Islands Police Chief Sr Adj Comr Aldi Alfa Faroqi said officers had inspected the discovery site and questioned several witnesses as part of the initial investigation.
“Based on the victim’s condition, we believe he had died some time before the body was found,” Aldi said.
He added that police were still determining whether the death involved any criminal elements and urged the public to remain calm.
“Anyone with information that could assist the investigation or related administrative procedures is encouraged to come forward,” he said.
Ardath, head of the emergency and logistics division at the Meranti Islands Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), said a local resident found the body at around 11am on Jan 2 and immediately notified authorities.
"The victim was not carrying identification and was initially believed to be a local resident. Several days later, however, a person claiming to be a family member contacted the BPBD, providing photographs and identification documents," he said on Tuesday.
Based on the information received, authorities believe the body is that of Teh Kok Keong, a 33-year-old Malaysian national employed by Tower Transit, an international bus operator based in Singapore.
Head of the Meranti Islands SAR Readiness Unit Prima Herrie said the victim was found wearing a jacket bearing the Tower Transit logo, while other physical characteristics and evidence matched descriptions provided by the family and Malaysian authorities.
“Malaysian authorities have been searching for Teh since his family reported him missing on Dec 28,” Prima said.
According to Malaysian officials, Teh is believed to have jumped from the Second Link Tuas–Johor Bridge, a key transport link between Malaysia and Singapore although the circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.
The Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) Johor Bahu launched a search operation in nearby waters but was hampered by adverse weather, including winds of up to 30km per hour and waves measuring 1 to 1.5m.
After the search failed to locate Teh, MRSC Johor Baru alerted search and rescue agencies in neighbouring countries.
“There is a strong possibility the body drifted with currents in the Malacca Strait before being found in Rangsang Island,” Prima said, noting that the sea distance between Johor Baru and Rangsang Island is approximately 25 to 35 nautical miles, or 46 to 65km.
Prima added that MRSC Johor Baru had confirmed jurisdiction over the case lies with Indonesian authorities, as the body was found in Indonesian waters. Teh’s family arrived in the Meranti Islands regency on Tuesday to retrieve his body and plans to transport the remains to Pekanbaru, the capital of Riau province, for cremation.
The incident follows a series of grim discoveries in Riau, where local residents in Rokan Hilir regency found 11 unidentified bodies floating in coastal waters between Nov 7 and Dec 8 last year.
All of the bodies were male and were recovered along a busy shipping route off North Sumatra frequently used by cargo vessels and fishing boats.
None of the victims carried identification, and all were found in advanced stages of decomposition, making identification extremely difficult. Some of the bodies were also missing several body parts.
Authorities believe the victims were involved in separate boat accidents. However, police have so far identified only two of the deceased, Andri Manik, 40, and Darwin, 47, both fishermen from North Sumatra, after their families came forward to assist with the identification process. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
