PUTRAJAYA, Sept 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will deploy the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) to Nepal as early as Sept 5, following official approval from the Nepalese government to assist in search and rescue operation in areas affected by the recent floods and landslides.
The Foreign Ministry in a statement on Friday said, the 11-member team will be equipped with high-capacity drones and specialised equipment to support operations led by the Nepalese authorities in areas requiring technical expertise and dedicated operational capability.
“The deployment will be subject to operational needs and safety conditions,” the statement read.
The ministry said 55 Malaysians were still reported as uncontactable as of Sept 4.
An additional team deployed by the Ministry has arrived in Kathmandu and is assisting the Embassy of Malaysia in coordinating with the relevant Nepalese authorities on ongoing search and identification efforts concerning Malaysians who remain uncontactable.
“This includes coordination on the use of DNA samples for identification purposes. In Malaysia, identification-related preparations are ongoing, including the collection and analysis of DNA samples from next of kin by Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and the Department of Chemistry Malaysia, in coordination with the Ministry,” the statement said.
The statement added that the Ministry remains in direct contact with their immediate next of kin and continues to provide updates as search, verification and related efforts progress.
“Information concerning individual cases continues to be communicated directly to families, while public updates remain focused on verified developments that can be shared more widely,” it said.
The Ministry said it continues to pursue verification through diplomatic channels with the Government of China regarding potential overlap between reports of Malaysians in Nepal and those in Tibet, China.
It added that the Embassy of Malaysia in Beijing remains in contact with the Chinese authorities, while the Ministry is also engaging the Embassy of China in Kuala Lumpur to obtain official clarification.
“Malaysia has also conveyed its readiness to provide appropriate search-and-rescue expertise should such assistance be required by the Chinese authorities,” the statement said.
Separately, the ministry said the Government will also provide US$1 million in humanitarian assistance to Nepal, as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
It also urged the public not to speculate or share unverified information while efforts to establish the safety and whereabouts of the Malaysians concerned remain ongoing.
It added that further updates will be provided based on verified information received through official channels.
-- BERNAMA