The Continuing Saga Of Sharlinie Mohd Nashar’s Disappearance

By Lara Lindemann  •  01 Apr 2024 in True Crime

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Sixteen years ago, the perplexing disappearance of a young girl named Sharlinie Mohd Nashar, seized the headlines and stirred conversations among the masses. Yet, to this day, there remains no clue as to her whereabouts or what fate befell her.

Sharlinie Mohd Nashar, born on 30 January 2004, disappeared in January 2008, becoming one of Malaysia’s most high-profile kidnapping cases.

At the age of 4, she was reported missing after playing in a playground with her 8-year-old sister, Sharliena. However, her body has never been found, nor has her death been confirmed. Her mysterious disappearance occurred shortly after a similar incident involving Nurin Jazlin Jazimin in 2007.

Disclaimer: This article includes sensitive content. Reader discretion is advised as the content may be disturbing or triggering. While these details are included to provide a comprehensive account, we acknowledge the sensitive nature of the subject matter.

Sharlinie, affectionately known as Nini, was born in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, to Suraya Ahmad and Mohd Nashar Mat Hussain. She had four siblings; three older sisters and a younger brother.

It was reported that on the morning of 9 January 2008, Sharlinie left home to go to the playground just 200 metres away from their two-story terrace house in PJS 2, Taman Datuk Harun. Accompanied by her sister, Sharliena, the siblings played together for 30 minutes, until about 11:30 a.m.

However, on that fateful day, only Sharliena came back home, unable to locate her younger sister. She quickly informed their mother about Sharlinie’s disappearance, prompting the family to rush to the playground to search for her.

Despite their exhaustive efforts, they failed to find Sharlinie after two hours of searching. They then decided to report her disappearance to the police. Notably, Sharlinie relied on Ventolin inhalers to manage her asthma, adding to the family’s worry.

Shortly afterward, local residents discovered Sharlinie’s doll at the spot where she was last seen, intensifying concerns about her sudden disappearance.

The police opened an investigation into Sharlinie’s disappearance and launched a large-scale search to trace her whereabouts. Thousands of homes in the area were searched, but Sharlinie was not found.

There were reports suggesting that Sharlinie might have been enticed with candy by an unidentified man before being forced into a black car. At the time, rumours circulated about a man known as lelaki kucing or the ‘cat man’ who allegedly approached her, claiming to be searching for his lost cat, before abducting her.

Just two days before Sharlinie’s disappearance, another young girl, playing not far from her home, was abducted by this  ‘cat man.’ The girl was found unharmed about three hours later, approximately 25 kilometres away in the Wangsa Maju area.

Following this incident, a photofit of the ‘cat man’ was widely distributed to the public, with witnesses and victims in other abduction cases also providing information about him to local authorities.

The search for Sharlinie intensified over weeks and months, with hundreds of thousands of posters bearing her image distributed nationwide in a desperate attempt to find her.

Numerous calls inundated authorities and the family of the victim, although most of them turned out to be false leads, providing no significant breakthrough in locating Sharlinie.

Authorities were also alerted of the spotting of a woman and a young girl resembling Sharlinie, allegedly seen in a white van in Cheras. Another case saw a motorcyclist having abducted and released a six-year-old girl just days before Sharlinie went missing. Alas, neither of these instances could be traced to Sharlinie’s disappearance.

In response to the escalating urgency of the situation, the National Police Chief at the time, Musa Hassan, swiftly mobilised police forces from Bukit Aman and Selangor to intensify the search efforts for Sharlinie.

Addressing the press, he emphasised the importance of public cooperation, stating, “We are actively pursuing two suspects based on their sketches, which will be widely circulated across both print and electronic media platforms. We urge the public to come forward with any information, as there are numerous stalls in the vicinity where the incident occurred.”

Sharlinie’s disappearance sparked a response from the then-Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who publicly appealed to the kidnapper to return Sharlinie and seek redemption amidst growing public outrage.

Additionally, various political parties, including UMNO, MIC, MCA, PAS, DAP, and PKR, joined forces to support search efforts. Party leaders visited Sharlinie’s parents, and posters detailing her disappearance were widely circulated among the public.

Amidst the investigations, there were speculations that Sharlinie might have fallen victim to human trafficking syndicates, adding another layer of concern to the already distressing situation.

Eight years after Sharlinie’s disappearance, parents Mohd Nashar and Suraya told the media that they still hope for the public and authorities to find Sharlinie safe and sound. The husband and wife still keep a pink shirt owned by their missing daughter as a token of longing.

In 2021, a TikTok video surfaced, purportedly uploaded by a girl named Athirah, recounting her ‘near’ ordeal of almost falling victim to a kidnapping similar to Sharlinie’s. Following this video, the police were tasked with identifying the account owner, Athirah, who was soon summoned to aid in the investigation regarding Sharlinie’s disappearance, as reported by Harian Metro.

Recalling her experience, she revealed that while she was still in primary school, a man wearing a helmet halted his motorcycle outside a grocery store and extended an invitation to see his cats. Sensing unease, she opted not to accept the invitation and instead sought refuge inside the shop. Shortly thereafter, she became aware of Sharlinie’s disappearance, which was allegedly linked to the same ‘cat man’ who’d caused a stir in 2008.

Athirah maintained a vivid memory of the individual, especially upon seeing the sketch distributed by the police. However, it appears that the video detailing her encounter has since been removed from Athirah’s TikTok page, and no follow-up reports nor convictions were disclosed to the public.

“If there is new information, we will reinvestigate,” stated the Acting Director of the Criminal Investigation Department of Bukit Aman, Datuk Dev K.

In media portrayal, a telefilm titled “Kembalikan Amanda,” inspired by the tales of Sharlinie’s disappearance and Nurin Jazlin’s murder, aired on Astro Ria on 6 June 2008.

Directed by Azizi “Chunk” Adnan, with a script by Sofia J. Rhyland, it starred Haliza Misbun, who also served as a producer, and Cat Farish.

Despite extensive search operations and ongoing investigations, Sharlinie remains missing to this day. Her fate remains uncertain, as there is still a lack of concrete evidence confirming her death or whereabouts.

As the search for Sharlinie Mohd Nashar continues and new leads emerge, we extend our heartfelt wishes for justice and peace to her family, as well as to all those affected by this tragic incident. May their hearts find solace, and may Sharlinie’s story ultimately find resolution and closure.