PETALING JAYA: Police have begun a massive search for five-year-old Sharlinie Mohd Nashar who disappeared from a playground about 200m from her house in Taman Medan on Wednesday.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said a task force headed by Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Arjunaidi Mohamed has been formed with Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor police.

He said posters of Sharlinie and the photofit of a suspect in the attempted abduction of a six-year-old girl near her flat in Kampung Sepakat on Monday, about 2km from where Sharlinie went missing, have also been sent to all police stations located at the borders.

The girl was found three hours later in Wangsa Maju.

Musa said there was a possibility that the suspect was linked to the abduction of Sharlinie and the previous cases in Kampung Baru.

"We have told them to be on the lookout for anyone trying to cross the border with a girl fitting the description of Sharlinie.

"We have also alerted all airports and our counterparts in neighbouring countries to be on the lookout," he told reporters at a joint press conference with Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil at the Petaling Jaya police station yesterday.

Musa said the police want to interview those who saw Sharlinie being abducted.

"The incident occurred about 11am. At that time there were several stalls and people in the area.

"So those who might have witnessed the incident should come forward to help us identify the criminals involved in the case," he said, adding that this would enable the police to take swift action in locating the girl and nabbing the culprits.

He said those with information on Sharlinie's whereabouts could contact her father Mohd Nashar Mat Hussain at 016-258 3450 / 016-270 9096 or call the police at 03-7966 2222 or Rakan Cop at 03-2115 9999.

Asked about a phone call and text message received by Sharlinie?s father, Musa said police were investigating its authenticity.

"People should only give genuine information and not take advantage of other people's grief," he said.

Musa said he has directed Selangor CPO Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar to discuss with the Taman Medan Village Security and Development Committee on having parents or an elderly person from every housing estate at playgrounds.

"By doing this, everyone, including parents and the police, will be able to monitor the children," he said.