The brother of a 20-year-old Singaporean woman who was recently reported missing after travelling to Cambodia has released a public statement apologising for the events surrounding the case, following her safe return to Singapore.
In a Facebook post, Syafiq Siregar, the brother of Aishah Siregar, thanked everyone who helped locate his sister and expressed gratitude that she had returned home safely.
He also apologised on behalf of his family, saying the past few days had been an incredibly emotional and distressing experience.
Family Describes Ordeal As ‘Incredibly Distressing’
According to Syafiq, the family had been devastated after suddenly losing contact with Aishah, who had been living with them before leaving Singapore.
He wrote that the incident had been especially difficult for their mother, who had seen her daughter every day for the past two decades before communication abruptly stopped.
Syafiq also apologised for any comments made by family members that may have been misunderstood during the search for Aishah.
He added that his father’s social media accounts had reportedly been suspended for reasons unknown.
The family stressed that their only objective throughout the ordeal was to locate Aishah and bring her home safely, adding that they had no intention of offending the people of Cambodia or controlling public speculation surrounding the case.
Aishah Said She Travelled To Cambodia Voluntarily
The statement comes after Aishah released a video explaining that she had travelled to Cambodia of her own free will.
She said she had been experiencing stress while living in Singapore and decided to pursue work opportunities in Cambodia as an English teacher.
Aishah firmly denied claims that she had been scammed, trafficked or forced to travel overseas.
She also stated that she had not been involved in any scam syndicates or criminal activities during her stay in Cambodia.
Syafiq said the family acknowledges Aishah’s feelings of stress and restriction, adding that they would listen to her concerns and resolve family matters privately.
Family Clarifies Claims Circulating Online
Syafiq also addressed several claims that had been circulating on social media following his sister’s disappearance.
He clarified that no member of the family had access to Aishah’s personal online accounts before she left Singapore.
He also disputed suggestions that their parents drove Aishah to school every day, explaining that they only gave her lifts occasionally when requested or when they offered.
Regarding a letter reportedly written by Aishah before she left, Syafiq said it had already been handed over to the Singapore Police Force when the family first lodged a missing person report.
Earlier reports stated that the family discovered Aishah’s passport missing after they were unable to contact her. Police later confirmed she had already departed Singapore on a flight to Cambodia.
The family subsequently found travel booking confirmations in her email account and believed she had flown to Phnom Penh. Earlier reports also indicated that Aishah had transferred several hundred dollars to an unknown individual before leaving Singapore.
Family Requests Privacy
In closing, Syafiq appealed to the public to stop making assumptions or posting hurtful comments about either Aishah or their family.
He said that now Aishah has safely returned to Singapore, the family hopes to be given the privacy and space needed to recover from the incident and move forward together.
The case attracted significant public attention over the past week after concerns were raised that Aishah may have fallen victim to a scam or human trafficking operation. However, she has since maintained that her trip was entirely her own decision and not the result of coercion.