PUTRAJAYA: Thirty-six Malaysians in Tibet, China, have been reported to be safe following flash floods and landslides in the China-Nepal border area.
Foreign Ministry 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 any names 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 here on Friday (Aug 28).
Following the information, the ministry’s coordination efforts had now been expanded to cover areas on the Chinese side of the border, he added.
He shared that the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing and the Malaysian High Commission in New Delhi were also involved in the process as there was information that some Malaysians might have travelled along routes involving China and India.
The Foreign Ministry’s Operations Room in Putrajaya would continue to operate round the clock to coordinate information, assist Malaysians in the affected areas and provide the latest updates to family members, Syed Mohamad Hasrin said, adding that they would 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 any further action could be taken.
The priority at present was to locate Malaysians and ensure their safety in the affected areas, while taking into account weather conditions and limited access, he said.
In a related development, he said Malaysia, through the National Security Council (MKN) and the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), was coordinating and assessing the form of assistance that could be provided to Nepal.
Any assistance would take into account the needs identified by the Nepal government and would be subject to the consideration of MKN, as well as the acceptance and priorities of the Nepal government through official channels.
He said while Malaysia has expressed its readiness to assist Nepal, the Nepal government had so far indicated that it had sufficient resources to conduct search and rescue operations and required assistance could include financial resources and other forms of aid.
Nonetheless, Syed Mohamad Hasrin said the ministry 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 assist.
Finally, in accordance with a decree by Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, the ministry would continue to provide affected Malaysians’ family members with the latest verified information, Syed Mohamad Hasrin said.
"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,” he said.
On Thursday (Aug 27), Sultan Ibrahim urged Wisma Putra to take all necessary measures regarding Malaysians affected by the major floods in Rasuwa, Nepal.- Bernama
