Police in Penang have activated a full-scale investigation to locate a male Islamic religious teacher who vanished from his residence in Sungai Ara last weekend, sparking concern among his family and the local community. The disappearance of Mohamad Hijazi Zamry, aged 26, has raised alarm particularly given that his wedding ceremony had been scheduled for early September, with all preparations already underway.
Southwest District Police Chief ACP Anuwal Ab Wahab confirmed on Sunday evening that authorities are pursuing multiple investigative avenues and carefully assessing all information currently in circulation about the case. The police chief cautioned residents against engaging in speculation or disseminating unconfirmed details, warning that such actions could generate unnecessary anxiety throughout the neighbourhood. He stressed the importance of channelling verified leads directly through official channels rather than through social media or informal networks.
Members of the public holding any credible information about Mohamad Hijazi's location have been instructed to contact the Southwest District Police headquarters at 04-8662222 or present themselves at their nearest police station. The decision to issue a public appeal reflects the seriousness with which officers are treating the case, suggesting that initial investigative leads may have yielded limited results.
According to Zamri Saidin, the missing man's father, Mohamad Hijazi departed his apartment on Saturday evening with the intention of performing the Isyak prayer at a surau located in close proximity to his residence. Before leaving, the 26-year-old had already participated in the Maghrib congregation prayers alongside his father and one of his siblings, making his subsequent disappearance particularly puzzling. Zamri provided police with a detailed account of his son's movements during what would prove to be the last confirmed sighting.
The sequence of events that evening appears unremarkable in its ordinariness. Mohamad Hijazi informed his family members that he would traverse the short distance to the neighbourhood surau aboard his blue Yamaha LC motorcycle to complete the obligatory night prayer. For a devout young man in his final preparations for marriage, such a routine errand would have seemed entirely inconspicuous. Yet he never returned from this brief journey, leaving his family increasingly distressed as hours turned into days without word.
The timing of the disappearance carries additional weight given the imminent milestone in Mohamad Hijazi's personal life. As the eldest among seven siblings, he had been engaged for approximately one year before formalising marriage plans for September 2. The extended engagement period suggests a careful, deliberate approach to matrimony, making his sudden vanishing even more bewildering to those closest to him. His family had already completed the necessary preparations and arrangements for what should have been a joyful occasion.
Physical descriptions circulated by police provide specific details to aid public recognition. Mohamad Hijazi stands at 155 centimetres in height and weighs 54 kilograms, with a langsat complexion and black hair. At the time of his disappearance, he was dressed in an orange long-sleeved T-shirt and black long trousers—relatively distinctive attire that may aid identification should he be spotted in the Penang region or neighbouring states.
The case underscores the particular vulnerability of individuals who disappear while engaged in routine religious activities. The Islamic teaching community in Malaysia has witnessed several high-profile disappearances in recent years, generating heightened sensitivity within educational and religious institutions. Authorities will likely examine whether Mohamad Hijazi's occupation as a KAFA instructor—teaching Islamic Quranic studies and religious obligations—might have any bearing on his disappearance, though police have not yet indicated any suspicious circumstances beyond the absence itself.
Parallel to the Mohamad Hijazi investigation, police in South Seberang Perai district are simultaneously searching for a 15-year-old girl, Nik Nursyazwani Aishah Jefri Arwan Shah, who departed her residence in Nibong Tebal and failed to return. South Seberang Perai District Police Chief Supt Jay January Siowou has appealed for public assistance in locating the teenager. Anyone with sightings or relevant information has been directed to contact investigating officer Insp Nur Anis Syamimie Nasir at 016-9391927 or any police station.
The dual missing persons cases within the same general region of Penang and Seberang Perai within such a short timeframe may or may not indicate connected circumstances, though police have made no public suggestions of any link. These concurrent investigations will likely strain available resources across the two district commands, necessitating coordination to ensure both cases receive adequate attention.
For Malaysian families, the disappearance of loved ones represents an agonising situation compounded by uncertainties and potential dangers. The public appeal mechanism remains a critical tool in locating missing persons, particularly in an era of widespread digital communication where social media can amplify search efforts beyond traditional police channels. However, as authorities remind the public, such efforts must be channelled responsibly to avoid compromising investigations or spreading misinformation that could hinder rather than assist police work.
