Fifty-five Malaysians remain uncontactable following the floods and landslides in Nepal and China, although efforts are ongoing to determine the status of each individual.
Wisma Putra said the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART), which returned from Nepal on Monday, would brief the ministry on its deployment and the information gathered during its mission.
During its deployment, SMART conducted search activities in areas that could be safely accessed and where operations were permitted by the Nepalese authorities.
The search included ground operations as well as aerial observations using drones, with the information gathered to be reviewed by Wisma Putra and the relevant Malaysian agencies to determine the appropriate follow-up action.
Wisma Putra said the conclusion of SMART’s field deployment did not mean that efforts to ascertain the status of the Malaysians had ended, nor did it change their current status.
“The 55 Malaysians remain recorded as uncontactable while the relevant processes to establish the status of each individual continue,” the ministry said.
According to the latest information received from Nepal, authorities there are continuing search, verification and identification efforts.
As part of Malaysia’s support for Nepal’s disaster response efforts, SMART conducted on-site training for Nepalese rescue personnel on drone operations and handed over nine drones to the government of Nepal through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
Malaysia’s follow-up efforts in Nepal will continue through the Malaysian embassy in Kathmandu, which will obtain information directly from NDRRMA and other relevant Nepalese authorities.
The embassy will also maintain engagement with hospitals and other relevant agencies and conduct further checks or visits where safety conditions and approval from the Nepalese authorities permit.
In China, the Malaysian embassy in Beijing will continue engaging with the relevant authorities concerning Malaysians affected by the disaster and any information that could assist in establishing their status.
Wisma Putra said it understood the concern of families still awaiting certainty regarding their loved ones and remained in direct contact with the immediate next of kin.
It said any verified developments concerning individual Malaysians would be communicated to the immediate next of kin before any public announcement is made.
The ministry also urged the public and media to respect the privacy of the families concerned and refrain from speculation about any individual whose status has yet to be confirmed.
“Further updates will be provided based on verified information received through official channels,” it said.
