Aussie Foreign Minister Penny Wong to 'keep heat on' Annapuranee's case

GEORGE TOWN: With the inquest into the death of Australian Annapuranee Jenkins set to continue this month, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has vowed to "keep the heat on the case".

According to the Australian portal The Advertiser, the Sabah-born minister has vowed to keep pursuing the truth over the mystery death of the Adelaide grandmother in Malaysia.

She said her team will closely monitor Annapuranee's death inquest when it resumes on July 18.

When asked about it during her visit to Malaysia earlier this week, Wong said she did not bring up the matter here but had raised it before in Australia.

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"It’s obviously very distressing for the family under those circumstances," she said.

Annapuranee, then 66, was reported missing on Dec 13, 2017 while on the way to visit her mother at a nursing home.

When contacted by The Star, Annapuranee's son Greg Jenkins said he would be present in court to represent his family.

Greg, who is seen as the family’s spokesman, confirmed that he would be returning to Penang to witness the proceedings in the coroner’s court.

He said he would be accompanied by Australian MP Frank Pangallo and the Australian Media.

"I will be accompanied by them and under the watchful eye of the Australian Foreign Ministry," he said when contacted on Sunday (July 3).

Greg had lodged a police report in April against a retired investigating officer, who he believes is responsible for investigating Annapuranee's disappearance – for slander and failure to perform due diligence on the investigation.

ALSO READ: Annapuranee called her husband in distress the day she went missing, court hears

In April 2022, the Facebook page "Find Annapuranee" run by the Jenkins’ family, alleged that the forensics department here had suggested that her son (Greg) "break the bones" for easier packaging of the remains.

They claimed that the department had allegedly given Jenkins’ son the remains in 18 open plastic bags, which were only packed into a box they found lying around the office after they asked for the remains.

ALSO READ: Probe complete but inquest date yet to be fixed in Annapuranee Jenkins case, say cops

Annapuranee, who was born in Parit Buntar, Perak, had returned for a routine visit to Penang with her Australian husband before she vanished after getting off an e-hailing ride on a busy street in 2017.

Banners and posters of the missing woman were put up by the family member with contact details.

On June 24 2020, police found human bone fragments and personal belongings in a bush near the Penang Turf Club in Jalan Batu Gantung, believed to be linked to Annapuranee.

The inquest which resumes from July 18 to 22 at the George Town court here presided over by Coroner Norsalha Hamzah.