Families of missing Malaysians request detailed SAR briefings in Nepal tragedy as SMART prepares to return

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 — The family of a Malaysian missing in Nepal's landslide tragedy is requesting detailed Search and Rescue (SAR) briefings as the Malaysian Special Search and Rescue Team (SMART) prepares to return. N. Kalaiselvi's daughter, Kritikaa Joyce De Brito, expressed her family's deep appreciation for the government's efforts, but emphasized the importance of sharing a clear picture of the areas already surveyed by the team.

The 65-year-old mother was among 27 Malaysians who ventured to Mount Kailash in Tibet, China, for religious rituals and were reported missing due to the natural disaster in Nepal's Rasuwa district. Kritikaa explained that, as next of kin, they are seeking transparency regarding the field activities conducted by the SAR team, including the debris or forest areas that have been systematically surveyed.

This information is crucial for family members to ensure that all possible measures were taken during this challenging period. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan previously stated that SMART is expected to return to Malaysia on Saturday or Sunday after the ongoing SAR operations. However, he noted that the Nepalese government has not officially decided to end the SAR efforts yet, as there are still around 5,000 individuals unaccounted for in the disaster's aftermath.