Be prepared for DNA test, Nepal flood victims’ families told

The foreign ministry convened a briefing for the next of kin of Malaysians still missing after the catastrophic floods in Nepal last Wednesday. The families have been informed that they must prepare for a DNA test to aid in the identification process. Sivakumar Kalimuthu, whose wife remains missing, attended the briefing at Wisma Putra in Putrajaya.

He explained that the police will be in touch for the DNA test, and he needs to gather his three children for the procedure. The test is part of the preparations following the discovery of unidentified bodies in the disaster zone, which had to be buried immediately due to the lack of storage facilities. Sivakumar's children are in Singapore, Langkawi, and Selangor, and they all remain hopeful for their mother's safety.

The last known communication with his wife was a call informing him that she and a group of Malaysian tourists wanted to pray in Kailash. However, since then, they have not heard from her. The foreign ministry briefed the next of kin about the DNA test at a closed session, stating that it will be conducted at the relevant police headquarters starting the following day after receiving official notification.

The test will serve as a cross-reference to identify victims in Chitwan, Nepal. Meanwhile, the brother of Malaysian firefighter Fakhrul Munir, who remains uncontactable in Nepal, will join the Special Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) mission to Nepal. Saiful Munir Isa hopes to contribute his expertise to the rescue efforts while also seeking information about his brother's whereabouts and condition.