Families of 55 missing in Nepal seek Anwar's help over death declaration

Families of 55 missing Malaysian nationals in Nepal are urging Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to intervene and secure an expedited declaration of death. According to Malaysia Solidarity: Families in Hope (MASFIH) spokesman Dr Manivannan Rethinam, the families cannot bear the burden of remaining in legal and financial uncertainty for seven years under current procedures.

Dr Manivannan proposed a special government-to-government (G2G) mechanism between Malaysia and Nepal to resolve the matter, bypassing lengthy individual legal proceedings. Currently, families face a lengthy seven-year wait before a death declaration can be issued, which would allow them to access insurance, compensation, bank funds and inheritance.

While the families might consider other legal avenues such as taking the issue to court, Dr Manivannan emphasized the need for legal assistance as their legal proceedings could span years. The families also requested a temporary relief from financial commitments while awaiting a resolution. Dr Manivannan stated that the government could provide such assistance without waiting for Nepal to complete its own processes, and urged the families to meet Anwar as soon as possible.