S'pore woman, 20, who was reported missing in Cambodia says she left S'pore due to 'emotional stress'

A 20-year-old Singaporean student who was reported missing in Cambodia has been found safe, telling local authorities that she had cut off contact with her family due to emotional stress.

According to The Khmer Times, Siti Aishah Siregar Sahat Siregar had been staying in a condominium in Phnom Penh.

Emotional stress

Interior Ministry spokesperson Touch Sokhak shared on his Telegram channel on Jul. 31 that Aishah told officials she had travelled to Cambodia while under emotional distress.

She had switched off her phone to avoid being contacted by her guardians.

According to her, no criminal activity, including unlawful detention or kidnapping, had taken place.

She had arranged her accommodation through a Cambodian property agent before her arrival and was met at the airport by a local friend she'd made through online gaming, reported The Khmer Times.

After becoming anxious about her decision, Aishah contacted the Cambodian authorities to report that she had been reported missing.

In response to a Mothership query on Jul. 31, SPF expressed its appreciation to the Cambodian authorities for their prompt assistance.

The police added that it has reached out to the Cambodian National Police to obtain more information and to render further assistance as appropriate.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Singapore Embassy in Phnom Penh are also providing consular support to the woman's family.

Reportedly told her family she was going to school

The young woman was first reported missing when her father posted a notice on social media, appealing to the authorities in Singapore and Cambodia to find her.

According to him, Aishah was last known to have travelled from Singapore to Phnom Penh on Jul. 28.

A police report was made, the post noted.

It was later reported that Aishah had informed her mother that she was going to school at Nanyang Polytechnic as usual at around 11am the morning she went missing.

According to Berita Mediacorp, her brother said that the family was on their way to pick her up from school at about 5pm when they found that her phone number was no longer contactable and her WhatsApp account was no longer active.

They also found that Aishah's passport was not at home. The police subsequently confirmed that Aishah had already left Singapore via a flight.

When they tried to log into her email, they reportedly found a flight ticket booking to Cambodia and believed that she had flown off to Phnom Penh.