Nepal working on expediting death certs for missing Malaysians

On August 26, heavy rain triggered flash floods and mudslides in Nepal's Rasuwa district, killing at least 1,454 people and leaving 5,285 missing. Among the missing are 54 Malaysians, for whom the Nepali government is working to expedite the issuance of death certificates. Currently, Nepali law requires a waiting period of up to three years before such certificates can be issued for people who remain missing after a disaster.

Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan told Bernama that the Nepali government is pursuing legal amendments and will present them to parliament if the changes are not approved. The death certificates are crucial for the victims' families to manage their affairs, including dealing with banks and insurance companies. The next of kin of the missing Malaysians have presented a structured financial rescue plan to Bank Negara Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Malaysia is awaiting a decision on potential aid for forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia. The haze has reduced visibility to less than 50 meters and the air pollutant index in Kalimantan has reached 1,000, making efforts to extinguish the fires particularly challenging.