Where Is Michael?

[chonabot]

I've been asked to help find a missing person who was last seen in KL in 1998. His wife was resigned to the fact that he was 'no longer with us' and recently went to the coroner in Australia to make it official.

She was stunned to learn that someone had tried to renew his passport in 2001 at a passport office in KL, but didn't return to collect it the next day. At the moment she cannot get the passport photo or the application form from the Australian government because of 'Privacy Laws' so has no idea if it was Michael himself trying to renew the passport or not. There is now a lawyer on the case so hopefully this information will soon be forthcoming.

Here is a link to the AFP (Australian Federal Police) website with a photo of Michael ....

http://www.afp.gov.au/national/missing/pro...michael_desmond

and a link to the Hansard Report of the Australian Government ...

http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/reps/dailys/dr170805.pdf

(Page 173 of the pdf file or page 153 of the printed report).

Michael was a very 'gregarious character' who worked in the mining industry and would be pretty difficult to miss or forget if you had ever met him.

I've put up a website with a photo on it which is better than the AFP photo ..

http://www.wim.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

Click on the photo for full size.

Thanks for reading this, if you have any info please reply to the email on the website above or the AFP website.

[chonabot]

Update - I have just heard that Michael's wife Sheila has got an appointment to see a local MP - Kirsten Livermore, who can hopefully put pressure on the Australian Embassy to release the photo and application form.

[britmaveric]

Chons - hmmmm sounds like maybe he doesnt want to be found?

[chonabot]

Chons - hmmmm sounds like maybe he doesnt want to be found?

Indeed it does Brit, but his wife would like to know either way. Approaching bankruptcy and unable to sell the house due to it being in his name are only a few of the poor lady's worries.

[wim00]

Thanks Chon for posting this for me. My mother is getting an update from Sheila this morning and I will post any info here and on the website I put up a few days back. The two Malaysian forums are generating some useful ideas, and I will look to see if there are any forums for PNG where Michael once worked.

http://www.wim.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

[Nawtilus]

If he is an engineer, it may be usefull to put an advert in an engineering/construction newsletter that is free here in Bkk. It supposedly goes out to several hundred members in the field and just maybe someone knows or recognises him.

PM me your email and I send you theirs.

[wim00]

If he is an engineer, it may be usefull to put an advert in an engineering/construction newsletter that is free here in Bkk. It supposedly goes out to several hundred members in the field and just maybe someone knows or recognises him.

PM me your email and I send you theirs.

Thanks Nawtilus,

I've just sent off the email and will keep you posted - great idea, thanks. I have just got off the phone with my mother in Australia who has been chatting with Sheila. She is immensely grateful for everyones help and is feeling a lot more positive in herself, and optimistic that she will get some information confirming one way or another about what happened to Michael.

Regards - Wim.

[chonabot]

Thanks for that update Wim.

[redrus]

Can't help but, hope it turns out for the best mate.

redrus

[LaReina]

How long does a person have to be missing in Australia before they can be declared dead?

Surely that would take care of her legal woes.. and what does his job have to say about the whole matter?

And what of his bank accounts? Surely they did not pay him in cash?

If his passport has expired then he cant technically have left malaysia right? and if a person came to renew a passport wouldn't the picture have to match the person submitting the application?

If the person has been declared missing and foul play is assumed I can't see how privacy acts would stop the embassy from helping.

[wim00]

How long does a person have to be missing in Australia before they can be declared dead?

Surely that would take care of her legal woes.. and what does his job have to say about the whole matter?

And what of his bank accounts? Surely they did not pay him in cash?

If his passport has expired then he cant technically have left malaysia right? and if a person came to renew a passport wouldn't the picture have to match the person submitting the application?

If the person has been declared missing and foul play is assumed I can't see how privacy acts would stop the embassy from helping.

i). I'm guessing the same as the UK which I think is 7 full years.

ii). It would take care of things legally but the coroner will not issue the certificate.

iii). He has not been at the workplace since 1998.

iv). Bank accounts not touched since 1998. Or credit card.

v). The embassy claim the photo matches but won't release either the photo or the application form. (Michaels' wife wants to see them because she is the best person to make that judgement and has an MP and a lawyer on the case to get them released - hopefully).

vi). Neither can I. If nothing is forthcoming from the meeting with Kirsten Livermore this week then I will get permission to launch a media blitz!

[fourbaht]

I Agree with Brit, sounds like he doesn't want to be found.

Why won't the corroner issue a death certificate if it is over 7 years?

I thought missing persons topics were not allowed..

[chonabot]

I Agree with Brit, sounds like he doesn't want to be found.

Why won't the corroner issue a death certificate if it is over 7 years?

I thought missing persons topics were not allowed..

Thanks for your advice on these matters 4 baht, much appreciated as always.

[Khutan]

..Why won't the corroner issue a death certificate if it is over 7 years?...

Supposedly the Australian Federal Police botched the investigation.

[Scott]

If someone applies for a passport, then I would suppose that the police would not consider you dead and thus not allow for issuing a death certificate.

If this guy was setting up his own engineering firm, that could sound like conflict and if he was good (as he probably was if he was working in Malaysia), a business conflict could have resulted in his "disappearance."

Best of luck to the family. I hope they get this issue resolved.

[Boo]

bump

[sbk]

but his wife would like to know either way. Approaching bankruptcy and unable to sell the house due to it being in his name are only a few of the poor lady's worries.

Let's hope someone can help, it would be a terrible thing to never know what happened to someone you loved.

[chonabot]

but his wife would like to know either way. Approaching bankruptcy and unable to sell the house due to it being in his name are only a few of the poor lady's worries.

Let's hope someone can help, it would be a terrible thing to never know what happened to someone you loved.

Thanks Sbk/Boo, I will update this thread as and when.

[chonabot]

Bump

[VanZam]

Just wondering if it's now OK to start other topics with missing persons?

[sbk]

Just wondering if it's now OK to start other topics with missing persons?

This thread was approved by admin, I suggest that any further threads of such nature will need to go through George, Huski and Dr PP--PM George before posting.

[VanZam]

Perhaps a missing persons forum would be a good solution, I know many people that would use it... just an idea.

[SabahCafeandCinima]

The largest PNG forum is this

http://www.pngbd.com/forum/

[chonabot]

The largest PNG forum is this

http://www.pngbd.com/forum/

Thanks Sabah !

[chonabot]

Bump

[JacknDanny]

Bump

Is it just me?? What does 'bump' mean?

[chonabot]

Bump

Is it just me?? What does 'bump' mean?

Shut it Jack or I'll dock yer 10 points !

ps it just bumps the post to the top of the pile

[redrus]

Bump.

redrus

[wim00]

Thanks all for keeping this bumped up.

I don't have much news I'm afraid other than Sheilas' lawyer is seemingly 'cooling off'. They are advising that she just wait another two years! Sheila is getting pretty angry over the whole way that this has been dealt with (still no interview yet with her local MP either, although to be fair I understand that they have only just 'broken up' in Sydney). The embassy are sticking to their guns and will release nothing, the police are seemingly not interested in persuing the evidence held at the embassy, and have not even updated their website to say that someone tried to renew the passport in 2001.

When I chat over this weekend I will see how she feels about putting this out to the national papers in Oz and in Malaysia.

Thanks all - Wim.

[allane]

When I once posted a "missing person" item, I received a message from the moderator that such postings were not allowed, and that mine had been deleted.