Relatives of 55 Malaysians who remain unaccounted for after flooding in Nepal are asking authorities to hold off on declaring the missing dead, according to Free Malaysia Today. The families made the request as they continue to press for answers, more than a month after the disaster.
TheStarTV.com reports that 33 days have passed since the floods, with the families of the 55 still seeking information about their loved ones. The group attended a briefing at Wisma Putra, Malaysia's foreign ministry, mediaselangor.com reported.
According to Malay Mail, a family spokesman said Malaysia had sought to widen the search for the 55 uncontactable citizens, but access on the ground was limited. NST Online reports the families are also seeking help from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim over the death declaration issue.
The five reports, drawn from Malaysian outlets, indicate the families' concerns centre on two things: the scope of the search in Nepal and the prospect of their relatives being formally presumed dead before searches are exhausted. No details were given in the source material on the timing or outcome of the Wisma Putra briefing, or on any response from the government to the moratorium request.
What to watch next: whether Malaysian authorities agree to delay any death declarations and whether search access in Nepal is expanded.
