KUALA LUMPUR: Families of the 55 missing Malaysians following the floods and landslides in Nepal, have demanded an immediate and detailed explanation from the government over critical discrepancies regarding last known search locations and DNA collection records.
Speaking on behalf of the relatives on Tuesday (Sept 8), Malaysia Solidarity: Families in Hope (Masfih) spokesperson, Dr Manivannan Rethinam, raised concerns following the release of official update 009 on Sept 7, questioning why operational details published by authorities continue to contradict facts provided directly by family members.
Primary among the families' concerns is an apparent shift in search coordinates.
In a statement on Tuesday (Sept 8) Dr Manivaan said that official statements indicated that the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) is focusing observation efforts on an area tied to the victims' last known positions.
However, he said that families contend that none of the 55 missing individuals were reported anywhere near SMART's current operational footprint, prompting demands to know whether the government has obtained undisclosed tracking data or alternative coordinates without informing next of kin.
The relatives also cited conflicting public statements regarding DNA sample processing.
“While the Foreign Minister announced to the media on Sept 5 that all 55 DNA samples had been successfully gathered from family members, the official update issued two days later stated that the Chemistry Department had processed only 54 samples, with the final collection scheduled for Sept 7,” the statement said.
Dr Manivannan said that families have been the primary source of initial movement logs, timeline data, and final communication records submitted to authorities. He warned that keeping relatives in the dark while issuing contradictory updates has pushed family trust in the government's communication mechanisms to a critical low.
Demanding transparent, fact-based answers rather than generic public statements, the group urged the government to immediately clarify its operational rationale, confirm the exact sources behind the updated search coordinates, and address the administrative inconsistencies surrounding the DNA testing process.
