PUTRAJAYA, Aug 28 — Thirty-six Malaysians in Tibet, China, have reported being safe following flash floods and landslides in the China-Nepal border area.
Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) Deputy Secretary-General (Bilateral Relations) Datuk Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin said that the identities and status of the 36 Malaysians were still being verified with Chinese authorities, and they are cross-checking for any overlap with the list of Malaysians who remained uncontactable in Nepal.
“We are also conducting cross-checks because we have only just received this information... We will provide an update if there are any names that overlap, including the actual number of our citizens who are still missing or have been found safe, whether in Nepal or Tibet,” he told Bernama today.
Following the information, Wisma Putra's coordination efforts have now been expanded to cover areas on the Chinese side of the border.
Hasrin added that the Embassy in Beijing and the High Commission in New Delhi are also involved, as there is information that some Malaysians might have travelled along routes involving China and India.
The ministry’s operations room in Putrajaya will continue to operate round the clock to coordinate information, assist Malaysians in the affected areas and provide the latest updates to family members, and will continue seeking confirmation from Chinese authorities regarding the whereabouts and safety of Malaysians in Tibet before drawing any further conclusions.
On the possibility of bringing affected Malaysians home, he said the matter needed to be coordinated with the Nepali authorities and tour operators, including verifying the status of their travel documents before taking further action.
The priority at present is to locate Malaysians and ensure their safety in the affected areas, while taking into account weather conditions and limited access.
In a related development, Hasrin said that Malaysia, through the National Security Council (NSC) and the National Disaster Management Agency, is coordinating and assessing the form of assistance it could provide to Nepal.
Any assistance would take into account the needs identified by the Nepal government and would be subject to the NSC's consideration, as well as Kathmandu's acceptance and priorities through official channels.
While Malaysia has expressed its readiness to assist Nepal, the Nepal government has so far indicated it has sufficient resources to conduct search and rescue operations, and that required assistance could include financial resources and other forms of aid.
Nonetheless, he said that Wisma Putra is also assessing the readiness of Malaysian agencies, including the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team, while the Defence Ministry and the Malaysian Armed Forces were also ready to provide assistance.
Finally, in accordance with a decree by Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia, the ministry will continue to provide affected Malaysians’ family members with the latest verified information.
“At the same time, the media and public are urged not to speculate or disseminate unverified information, but instead refer to official statements from the Foreign Ministry for the latest updates,” Hasrin said.
Yesterday, the King urged Wisma Putra to take all necessary measures regarding Malaysians affected by the major floods in Rasuwa, Nepal.
