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A FAMILY dispute is believed to be the reason British teenager David Balisong fled to Malaysia, where he had been missing since 6 June, police have confirmed.
Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Datuk Fadil Marsus said the 17-year-old was found safe in a hotel along Jalan Pudu yesterday.
“Based on initial statements, the teenager left home following a misunderstanding with his family and arrived in Malaysia on 6 June,” said Fadil in a statement. “Police are now in the process of obtaining further information from the teenager.”
Officers from the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent were deployed to the location after receiving a tip-off from social activist Kuan Chee Heng, known publicly as Uncle Kentang.
David, who was reportedly in frail condition after subsisting primarily on fast food throughout his time in Malaysia, was located with the help of a fellow traveller who had seen news coverage of the case and recognised him. He had been staying in a shared hotel room with four other backpackers from various countries.
“His physical condition had changed drastically due to weight loss, but I knew it was him,” said his mother, Minerva Balisong, 50, who travelled from the United Kingdom to Malaysia in search of her son. “We’ve just found him and I still can’t believe it. His roommate at the hotel was the one who reported his presence to the authorities.”
Minerva, originally from the Philippines and now residing in the UK, had earlier made an emotional public appeal for her son’s safe return during a press conference with the International Humanitarian Organisation of Malaysia (MHO).
She revealed that three days after David went missing, the family received an anonymous email claiming to be from him, stating he did not wish to be found. However, she remained sceptical about the message's authenticity, as her subsequent emails and voice messages went unanswered, and his mobile phone had been unreachable.
Her fears grew amid speculation that her son may have fallen victim to human trafficking or online scam syndicates operating in the region.
Speaking on the incident, Kuan Chee Heng said he received the tip from a Korean traveller who had been sharing a hotel room with David.
“After reading media reports about the missing teenager, the individual contacted me,” he said. “David had been staying with four other backpackers, and one of them, from Korea, recognised him and reported the matter.”
“I want to thank the Kuala Lumpur police for acting swiftly,” added Kuan.
Authorities have confirmed that David is now under police care and in good hands, while further investigations are underway to determine the full circumstances of his arrival and stay in Malaysia. - Sept 5, 2025