KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim raised the plight of 55 Malaysians still missing following last month’s devastating floods during a phone call with Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah this morning.
Anwar said the call took place before he departed for a three-day working visit to China.
He said he conveyed the concerns and hopes of families still awaiting news of their loved ones and raised the need for a formal mechanism should the victims remain unaccounted for and search efforts fail to provide certainty.
“This is important to help the affected families deal with legal, financial and administrative matters.
“I will send an official letter to Prime Minister Shah detailing this proposal,” Anwar said in a Facebook post.
He said Shah described conditions on the ground as extremely difficult, with the scale of the disaster and destruction likened to a tsunami, but assured that search efforts would continue despite challenging conditions.
“I hope every effort being undertaken will yield results and provide the certainty that is so desperately awaited, particularly by the families of all 55 Malaysians who remain unaccounted for,” he said.
Anwar also expressed his appreciation to the Nepalese government, authorities and rescue teams for their efforts in searching for victims, including the 55 Malaysians.
International media reports said more than 1,400 people have died in the disaster, while over 6,000 remain missing.
Anwar left for China earlier today for a three-day working visit at Beijing’s invitation.
