The Facebook Messenger of missing activist Peter Chong was last seen active this morning, claimed PKR's Subang MP R Sivarasa and Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson Elizabeth Wong.

"We have been informed that his Facebook Messenger was seen to be active over the weekend, up to this morning.

"Also yesterday evening, one of (Chong's friends) succeeded in calling him via Facebook Phone. However, that call went unanswered," they said in a statement today.

This could mean that Chong is either able to access his Facebook account or that someone else is accessing his account, they said.

While they are optimistic and hopeful that Chong is alive and well, they said it is much too early to draw any firm conclusions.

"We hope the police are able to use this lead expeditiously to find Peter," they said.

An effective investigation, they said, will help allay the fears of many Malaysians regarding the increasing number of disappearances since November.

Chong, a former aide to Sivarasa, was last seen on April 5 and is the fifth person involved in political or religious activities to have allegedly gone missing since November.

The other four are pastor Raymond Koh, pastor Joshua Hilmy and wife Ruth and Perlis Hope activist Amri Che Mat.

"We also urge members of the public who have any information on the whereabouts of Peter Chong to contact ASP Chua at Dang Wangi police station who is leading the investigation.

"Any information may help Peter be reunited soonest with his family and friends," they said.

The Malaysian Bar also released a statement urging the authorities to provide regular updates on their investigations into the disappearance of five individuals, most recently of activist Peter Chong.

They also called for the police to "leave no stone unturned" to find the five individuals and bring the perpetrators to justice.

"Only concrete and clear action by the authorities will alleviate public fear and anxiety, and instill confidence in the safety and security of this country and its peoples," Bar president George Varughese said in a statement today.

Chong, a former aide to Subang MP R Sivarasa, was last seen on April 5 and is the fifth person involved in political or religious activities to have allegedly gone missing since November.

The other four are pastor Raymond Koh, pastor Joshua Hilmy and wife Ruth and Perlis Hope activist Amri Che Mat.

Varughese expressed shock and outrage at the growing number of Malaysians disappearing inexplicably.

This has never happened in the country before to the best of their knowledge, he said.

"The security of this country and its peoples is of paramount importance not just for its residents but also for visitors and foreign investors.

"The noticeable lack of information on the steps taken by the authorities to locate and recover the five missing persons is most disconcerting and raises alarming doubts on the adequacy of the safety and security measures in the country," Varughese said.

NGO Proham also expressed similar sentiments, saying it is concerned and shocked about the disappearances.

Its chairperson Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari urged the police to put a stop to this dangerous trend.

"People are living in a climate of fear; uncertain as to their own safety and that of their family members.

"The police needs to address the decline in public confidence and to ensure public order is maintained," he said in a separate statement.

Unfounded speculation will slow down probe

Meanwhile, PKR information chief Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh said unfounded speculation will only slow down the investigations into the disappearance of the five individuals.

However, the lack of updates on these cases can lead to the rise of doubts about security and safety in the country, he said.

"While we admit that any speculation, assumption and claims which are unfounded make the investigations harder and cause tense polemics, but the disappearance of these five individuals can raise suspicion and doubt over the guarantee of safety by the police to the rakyat," Syed Ibrahim said in a statement today.

He questioned the true motive behind the disappearance of these five individuals and whether they are related to each other.

"If it is a vigilante act, then it must be condemned and rejected and an immediate action must be taken to stop it before it spreads," Syed Ibrahim added.

It was previously reported that Kuala Lumpur chief police Amar Singh had said a task force has been set up to check if there is a link between Chong's case and the abduction of Koh, who has been missing for more than 50 days.

Syed Ibrahim said that if any laws had been broken, it should be resolved through the courts and not through vigilantism, including wrongdoing like abuse of power.

He also said that while the police reminds the rakyat not to speculate, they should also be professional, transparent and fair in handling these cases to alleviate the worries of the rakyat.