Not much help from Malaysian authorities in Christchurch, so families do it on their own

PETALING JAYA: Some Malaysian family members and survivors of the Christchurch terror attack are frustrated that there is not much assistance from Malaysian authorities there.

The Malaysians are unhappy that those who have relatives missing in the aftermath of the attack are being forced to do things on their own.

Some also claimed that there has been no financial assistance so far from the Malaysian government, forcing them to set up their own fund called "Christchurch Malaysian Relief Fund" to help the injured and their families.

In a WhatsApp group set up by Malaysian residents in Christchurch, one said that a Malaysian mother had to go look for her missing child by herself.

"As the child is still missing on the list put out by the hospital, the hospital could not allow her to identify the bodies in the morgue.

"The child is therefore still missing," read the message sent on Sunday (March 17).

Another stated that there were those who were listed as "missing" only to find out later that two of those people named had earlier returned to other New Zealand cities and were not victims of the attack.

It was reported by the High Commission of Malaysia in Wellington that Deputy Secretary General (Multilateral Affairs) Datuk Nadzirah Osman arrived in Christchurch on March 17 and met the families of Malaysian victims to provide support and to convey Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah's message of "sympathy, support and prayers".

However, some of the Malaysians who were present said that the meeting held after three days of the incident only seems to be "seeking what is needed".

"We do not have NGOs or such bodies for Malaysians to channel financial assistance to the victims or the families. The meeting was more of whether the locals can provide babysitting (services), transportation, food and to find out the financial aspects for the families involved.

"The immediate help has to come from the Malaysians residing here. We decided among ourselves after the meeting to set up a fund without waiting for the Malaysian government's help," said one Malaysian who attended the meeting with the High Commission of Malaysia's representatives.

On a new Facebook page set up and handled by Malaysian community leader Dr Ahmad Sufian Ab Rahman, the Christchurch Malaysian Relief Fund was publicised as having been "endorsed by the Malaysian High Commission in Wellington".

"This fund is to immediately relieve and aid the financial burden of the affected Malaysian families.

"They include but are not limited to Rahimi Ahmad, Mohd Tarmizi Shuib and Mohd Nazril Hisham Omar," said the statement, naming the three injured Malaysian victims of the attack.

The details of the fund can be found on the FB page Crisis Group for Malaysians - Christchurch, New Zealand.