Kajang family thanks cabbie Hanizan in advert

FMT Reporters, October 25, 2015

Father of kidnapped boy buys advertising space to help clear taxi-driver Hanizan's name.

KUALA LUMPUR: Taxi-driver Hanizan Mohamad has been thanked in a press advertisement for driving a kidnapped boy home to his family earlier this month.

The father of the boy bought advertisement space in a Malay-language daily to thank him and to help clear Hanizan’s name and reputation, according to Star Online.

Hanizan, 41, had been hailed as a hero in press reports when he brought the boy home on the evening of Oct 9, with photographs showing emotional scenes at the boy’s home.

However the taxi-driver was arrested later that night and held for questioning about the kidnap, together with three other men who were arrested separately elsewhere.

Speculation arose about Hanizan’s involvement, but the boy’s father said in the advertisement that he and his family were confident that Hanizan was not involved in the kidnapping, and stated that he wanted to ensure that Hanizan’s reputation was not tarnished by the incident.

The father said Hanizan had acted nobly and he sincerely hoped his support would bring justice to Hanizan and his family, and he expressed regret that their lives had been affected.

In thanking Hanizan, the father said that he was very grateful to the taxi-driver for safely bringing home his son.

The boy was kidnapped outside his kindergarten in Sungai Chua. The family paid a ransom and the boy was freed later that day. Hanizan had said he had seen the boy wandering on the streets and recognised him from the notices and photographs that had been spread on the Internet.

Police freed Hanizan from custody a few days later, and cleared him of being involved in the kidnapping. They said no link had been found between the alleged kidnappers and Hanizan. He is expected to be called as a key witness in the case.