Missing Sarawak woman reported under police custody in Shanghai, family says

 SARAWAK, MALAYSIA: A 25-year-old Malaysian woman from Sarawak who was earlier reported missing while travelling in China is believed to be under police custody in Shanghai, according to information relayed to her family by the Malaysian Embassy in China.

The woman, Amy Jong Mei Ling, is a uterine care therapist from Kuching.

She had been travelling alone in China when her family lost contact with her, prompting concerns and a request for assistance from Malaysian authorities.

According to a report by Malaysian media outlet China Press, Jong’s elder sister said the family was recently informed by the Malaysian Embassy that her whereabouts had been identified and that she is believed to be safe.

The sister said the embassy provided limited information, but indicated that Jong was detained by local police after raising suspicion due to her frequent travel between multiple Chinese cities within a short period.

“From what I understand, my sister was detained in Shanghai after travelling alone to several places in China within a short time, which drew the attention of the local authorities,” she was quoted as saying.

She added that the embassy explained China is currently observing a holiday period, which has slowed administrative processes. More detailed information is expected to be available within two days.

The family had earlier sought help from Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs after failing to establish contact with Jong for several days.

Jong left Kuching on 8 December 2025 and flew to Kuala Lumpur before travelling onward to China the following day, according to her family.

Her elder sister told local media that Jong was typically very active on social media, frequently sharing updates when travelling overseas, making the sudden silence during this trip particularly concerning.

Jong’s last Instagram Story was posted on 15 December, showing photos taken in Huzhou, China. After that, no further updates were made on her social media accounts.

 

On 18 December, Jong briefly contacted her mother via WhatsApp, stating that she planned to return to Malaysia on 19 December.

The family has not heard from her since that message.

Friends later suggested that Jong may have been accompanied by a Chinese national during part of the trip, though this information has not been independently verified.

Jong had earlier informed her family that she was travelling with colleagues from her workplace for filming-related purposes.

However, after checking with her employer, the family was told that no such work trip had been arranged, raising further concern over inconsistencies in her account.

The conflicting information prompted the family to escalate the matter to the authorities, fearing that Jong may have encountered difficulties while overseas.

The family said they remain anxious but are relieved to learn that Jong has been located and is believed to be unharmed.