BALIK PULAU: A 27-year-old teacher, who was reported missing since Monday after class at a school here, has been found safe.
The matter was confirmed by southwest district police chief Superintendent A. A. Anbalagan in a WhatsApp message today.
“The teacher has been found safe at 4pm. We have to understand that she is suffering from depression. What is important is that she is safe.
“Give her some time with her family,” he said.
It was reported that Nur Farhana Ibrahim, who teaches religious studies, was reportedly taken to the school by her 30-year-old husband on Monday morning.
At 4.30pm, it was reported that her husband was unable to reach her.
Her husband returned home two hours later and discovered her phone on a cupboard, which led him to believe that she has gone missing.
He then tried to ask her friends, but could not get any information.
Yesterday, police deployed the canine unit to locate the missing teacher.
It was learned that she suffered from depression and had received psychiatric treatment back in 2014.
On a related matter, the Education Ministry would wait for the Penang State Education Department's (JPN) report on the case.
Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said he was not sure whether the incident happened due to the pressure experienced by the teacher, who was said to have had to travel about 200km from Langgar (Alor Setar) to Balik Pulau (Penang) on a daily basis to teach at the school.
"I'm not sure. I need to see the report from the JPN first. We cannot (get information) based only on Whatsapp and Facebook," he said when met by reporters after an event at SMK Padang Midin in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu here, today.
The one-way distance from Langgar to Balik Pulau is about 100km, and it is understood that the teacher had requested numerous times to be transferred to Kedah to be closer to her family.
Asked whether the ministry was willing to review the teacher placement system to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future, Maszlee said he paid attention to all teachers and their problems.