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

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 — The family of N. Kalaiselvi, a Malaysian who remains missing after the Nepal landslide tragedy, is seeking more detailed briefings on the search and rescue (SAR) efforts as the Malaysian Special Search and Rescue Team (SMART) prepares to return. Her daughter, Kritikaa Joyce De Brito, expressed the family's gratitude for the government's efforts, acknowledging the challenges faced by rescuers on the ground.

Kalaiselvi's mother, 65 years old, was among 27 Malaysians who ventured to Mount Kailash in Tibet, China, for religious rituals and became uncontacted during the natural disaster in the Rasuwa district. Kritikaa emphasized that while the conditions, approval from Nepal, and logistical factors are understandable, the family demands a clear picture of the areas surveyed by the SMART team before their withdrawal.

This transparency is crucial for them to ensure that every possible effort has been made during this trying period. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan had previously stated that the SMART team is set to return to Malaysia on Saturday or Sunday, as the ongoing operations are nearing their end. However, he clarified that the Nepalese government has not officially concluded the SAR operations, given that around 5,000 individuals are still classified as unaccounted for due to the disaster.