KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian Government will propose an official mechanism to support the families of 55 Malaysians who remain missing following a major disaster in Nepal last month.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he raised the matter during a telephone conversation with his Nepalese counterpart Balendra Shah before leaving for China on Tuesday.
Anwar said the proposed mechanism would be necessary if ongoing search efforts are unable to locate the missing Malaysians or provide clarity on their fate.
“I also raised the need to establish an official mechanism should the victims remain unaccounted for and search operations be unable to provide certainty.
“Such a measure is important to help affected families deal with legal, financial and administrative matters,” he said in a statement shared on his Facebook page.
Anwar said he would send an official letter to Shah outlining the proposed mechanism, adding that the Nepalese leader had assured him that search operations would continue despite increasingly difficult conditions on the ground.
According to Anwar, Shah described the scale of destruction caused by the disaster as being comparable to a tsunami, while noting that the situation remained highly complex.
Anwar also conveyed Malaysia’s condolences and sympathy to the Nepalese Government and people, while expressing appreciation to local authorities and rescue teams involved in the search and rescue mission.
“I conveyed the concerns and hopes of the families of the 55 Malaysians who continue to await certainty regarding the fate of their loved ones,” he added.
Anwar said he hoped the ongoing efforts would bring the answers sought by the families of those still missing.
The 55 Malaysians have remained uncontactable since flash floods and landslides hit Nepal’s Rasuwa district on August 26, 2026.
The disaster damaged roads, bridges and communication networks, creating additional challenges for authorities attempting to determine the whereabouts of those affected.
Malaysia later deployed an 11-member Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) to Nepal to support local search and rescue operations, with the team concentrating on the last known locations of the missing Malaysians.
DNA samples were also collected from the next-of-kin to assist identification efforts, while Malaysian authorities continued coordinating with their Nepalese counterparts.
Meanwhile, Anwar said both leaders also discussed the recruitment of Nepalese workers to Malaysia, particularly the involvement of agents in the process.
He said both countries agreed that the recruitment system must prevent exploitation and excessive charges that benefit certain parties.
“The worker recruitment system must be transparent and competitive while safeguarding the rights and welfare of workers,” he said.
Anwar added that Malaysia’s Human Resources Minister and his Nepalese counterpart would hold discussions soon to address issues related to worker recruitment between the two countries. — September 22, 2026