Deputy minister presses Wisma Putra for hotline, briefings as 91 Malaysians missing in Nepal‑China

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Deputy National Unity Minister R. Yuneswaran has urged Wisma Putra to create a dedicated centre to provide consistent updates to the families of the 91 Malaysians missing after the disaster on the Nepal-China border. The centre should include a 24-hour hotline, case reference numbers and officers available at any time.

A specific liaison officer should be assigned to each family to ensure they receive all updates without having to contact various agencies, Yuneswaran stated. According to Wisma Putra's latest update at 8pm yesterday, 55 Malaysians remain missing in Nepal and 36 in China. These figures are still being verified to avoid duplicate reports.

The uncontactable individuals include tourists, climbers, pilgrims visiting Mount Kailash, and two officers from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department. Yuneswaran also proposed daily briefings at set times for the affected families, even if there were no updates, to reduce their stress. He called for stronger coordination between Wisma Putra, the National Disaster Management Agency, JBPM, Nepalese and Chinese authorities, travel agencies, and telecommunications companies to verify travel information.

Psychosocial support should also be provided to the families, along with help with documentation, travel, and logistics. Yuneswaran asked the public to refrain from sharing unverified information, photos, or figures to prevent confusion and anxiety.