SHAH ALAM: Three local men who carried out renovation work at former TV newscaster Zalina Shaharah Azman’s house in Section 3 here, have been cleared of any involvement in her disappearance.
Shah Alam district police chief Iqbal Ibrahim said this was based on statements taken from the three men two weeks ago.
Iqbal said they started the renovation work in 2019, a year after Zalina bought the house.
“The renovation work was done in stages beginning with the wiring, a studio for the gallery, the kitchen and a recording area. The cost of the renovation amounted to about RM320,000. Zalina had made two payments totalling around RM260,000. The last payment was made in August last year.-
“However, she did not continue with the renovation as she did not have the funds to do so,” he said at a press conference at the Shah Alam district police headquarters.
Iqbal said police had recorded statements from 20 people.
He added that police had also seized a laptop and some documents from Zalina’s house on July 28.
“We have also carried out an inspection with the assistance of the canine unit (K9) but failed to detect any traces (scent) in the house,” he said.
Media outlets reported that the police received a missing person’s report on Zalina, 58, from her son Mikhael Norman, 33, on Nov 29 last year. Mikhael had lodged a report when he failed to contact her since Nov 24 to inform her that his grandfather had been hospitalised.
Police believe Zalina is still in the country as there are no records to indicate otherwise.