KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet will discuss assistance for the families of 54 Malaysians still missing following the Nepal flood disaster at its meeting on Friday (Oct 23).
Malaysia Solidarity: Families in Hope (Masfih) spokesman Dr Manivannan Rethinam said the assurance was given by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim after a meeting at Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 20).
During the meeting, the group submitted a 29-page proposal outlining a national humanitarian, legal, financial and diplomatic response for the 54 Malaysians missing following the Aug 26 disaster.
The proposal sets out recommended interventions, implementation priorities and coordinated government action to address the urgent concerns of the affected families.
"The Prime Minister assured us that he will bring the matter to the Cabinet this Friday for a decision.
"He (Anwar) also mentioned that several ministers, including (Transport Minister) Anthony Loke, had approached him about this issue and that they would discuss it at the Cabinet meeting," he said at a press conference after meeting Anwar.
Manivannan said the families were facing mounting pressure from banks to continue making payments on housing loans, car loans and credit cards, despite being unable to access the accounts of their missing family members.
"The issue is not that the families have no money in the bank, but that they cannot access the accounts, while the banks continue to demand payment on their financial commitments."
He called for the payments to be deferred or for a suitable solution to be found while the families awaited news of their missing relatives.
"The uncertainty is painful. Every unanswered question carries emotional weight. Every passing day brings renewed anxiety, yet we continue to hold on to hope.
"We are trying to remain strong for our families while facing circumstances that none of us could have prepared for," he said.
Manivannan, whose sister Komathi Rethinam is among the missing, said the families were not asking for the law to be disregarded, but for it to be applied with compassion so that no family would feel it had to face the tragedy alone.
"I understand personally that this is not simply an administrative matter to be processed, or a case to be closed. It is about our loved ones, our memories, our families and the hope that they may still return to us.
"We respectfully appeal to the government, public institutions, financial service providers and all parties involved to approach every affected family with compassion, empathy and humanity.
"We recognise that agencies must follow the law and established procedures. However, within those requirements, there must also be room for humane consideration, clear explanations and practical support.
"Where decisions cannot be made immediately, families deserve honest communication about the reasons, the next steps and the assistance that remains available," he said.
