But her family says immigration authorities' arrival records indicate that she had somehow made her way back here on Sunday - without her bus ticket or her passport and with under $20 on her.

The twist to the tale: Madam Voon Choot Yin, who has mild dementia and depression, is still missing - right here on home turf.

The family's desperate search for her is now trained on Toa Payoh, where she lived by herself before moving in with her son three months ago, when her memory started failing.

She had arrived at the popular Malaysian hill resort last Thursday with him, his wife, her mother and their two grown daughters. The family checked into the First World Hotel.

The last time they saw the bespectacled grandmother was the following day, when they visited the casino.

For the full story, read Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.