A mother is appealing to the public to help find her daughter Intan Suliyana Mohamad Som, 18, who went missing at a shopping complex in Peringgit, here, on Dec 23.

Housewife Nor Asiah Ab Hamid, 52, said the teenager left their home in Taman Rumpun Bahagia, Bachang, here, at 2pm to pay their Astro bill at the shopping centre located a kilometre away.

She said Intan Suliyana also met her sister who worked at a boutique in the shopping centre and told her she was returning home at 3pm.

"My family and I waited but she did not turn up. My husband and I decided to lodge a police report at the nearby police station at 4pm on Thursday (Dec 24)," she told reporters, here, today.

Also present was her husband, Mohamad Som Ahmad, 59, a teacher at a vocational college here.

Mohamad Som holding up a photo of Intan Suliyana - Astro AWANI
Nor Asiah said after lodging the police report, she received a message via SMS from Intan Suliyana at 7.30pm the same day, seeking her help.

She said Intan Suliyana sent another message about five hours later to one of her sisters telling her she was alright but was afraid to go home.

"We tried to contact her after receiving the SMS text, but failed. My husband and our other children are also looking for Intan around the city, including putting up her pictures."

She said the family hoped Intan Suliyana would return home safely and unhurt.

Central Malacca district police chief, ACP Shaikh Abdul Adzis Shaikh Abdullah, when contacted, confirmed receiving the police report and urged those with information on the case to contact the police.