The South Australian Parliament intends to closely monitor the proceedings of a coronial inquest starting today into the mysterious disappearance and presumed murder of Australian grandmother, Annapuranee "Anna" Jenkins (above, left).
In a statement released today by his chief of staff, South Australian member of the Legislative Council Frank Pangallo highlighted that he was taking a keen interest in the inquest.
Pangallo successfully moved a motion in South Australia's Legislative Council late last year that called on the king of Malaysia to request the Malaysian police to conduct a thorough investigation into the case.
"Prior to that, Mrs Jenkins' disappearance and the subsequent discovery of remains on a development site had not been actively pursued by local Malaysian authorities, with much of the detective work to uncover her fate left to Mrs Jenkins' children, Gregory and Jennifer," read the statement.
Earlier, her family expressed the hope that the inquest to be held in Penang from today (March 28) to April 1 will not declare that the latter had died of "sudden death".
Her son, Gregory, said he has been seeking justice for his mother, and he is currently in Penang to attend the inquest, which will be presided by coroner Norsalha Hamzah, assisted by the state director of the Penang Prosecution office, Kahirul Annuar Abd Halim.
No immediate action from authorities
Anna, as she is known to family and friends, met Gregory's dad, Frank Jenkins, in Penang when he was a Vietnam veteran who was posted to Butterworth in the 70s.
He was actually set up to meet with Anna's sister but fell for her instead.
The couple lived in Butterworth and Tanjung Bungah before they moved to Australia.
Anna became an Australian citizen in 1982 but returned to Penang frequently, about four or five times a year, to visit her ailing mother.
Her remains were found on June 14 and 15, 2020, after a missing person's report was lodged, on Dec 5, 2017.
On June 14, Gregory received images of items belonging to his mother from an anonymous source, and the police were alerted of the matter via the Australian Diplomatic Mission in Malaysia.
The remains were found in an ongoing construction site within the compound of the Penang Turf Club along Batu Gantung by a construction worker.
According to Gregory, no immediate response or action was taken by the authorities.
On Aug 12, 2020, a team of forensic experts consisting of one assistant superintendent of police, four inspectors, four sergeants and one corporal conducted a search and found bone fragments.
On Jan 13, 2021, 154 days after the first search, the forensic team conducted another search and found more bone fragments.
A death certificate was then issued for Anna without identifying the actual cause of death. - Mkini
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