Families of Malaysians missing in Nepal seek meeting with AGC, BNM

The families of the 54 Malaysians still missing after the Nepal floods have called for meetings with Bank Negara Malaysia and the Attorney-General’s Chambers in the next two to three days.

Malaysia Solidarity Families in Hope (Masfih) said BNM should consider a coordinated mechanism to help the affected families manage their financial commitments while the status of their loved ones remains unresolved.

“The framework could include a moratorium, deferment or temporary restructuring of payments for related financial commitments until the legal status can be determined,” its spokesman, R Manivannan, said.

Manivannan said a centralised mechanism involving the relevant financial institutions would mean families would not have to approach each institution separately.

He said it was important for an AGC representative to attend the meeting with BNM as some financial issues were linked to the legal status of the missing Malaysians.

He also called for the AGC to provide clear guidance on the legal process for obtaining a “presumed death” declaration, including the evidence and documents required and the timeframe involved.

Manivannan said preparations for the legal process could proceed alongside efforts to locate the missing Malaysians and establish their status.

“Hope for a miracle and legal certainty can exist at the same time,” he said.

He called for another 20 DNA samples from a group of 23 missing Malaysians to be sent to Chinese authorities for matching. Three samples from the group have already been submitted.

He said sending the remaining 20 would make samples from all 23 available for comparison and identification.

He also urged Putrajaya to seek China’s assistance in giving the next of kin digital access to a catalogue of personal belongings recovered at Gyirong Port to help identify the items.

Manivannan said the group had previously asked Wisma Putra for information on the catalogue but had yet to receive an update.

Yesterday, BNM said banks were prepared to assist affected families, including through repayment deferments, waivers of fees and charges, and flexibility in documentation requirements pending the completion of legal processes.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday that his Nepali counterpart, Balendra Shah, had assured Malaysia of his government’s cooperation in efforts to determine the status of the 54 Malaysians.

Anwar also said he instructed Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar to hold further discussions with the Nepalese authorities.

One of the 55 Malaysians initially reported missing after floods and debris flows struck Nepal on Aug 26 returned to Malaysia on Friday after turning up at the Malaysian embassy in Kathmandu on Thursday.

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