Malaysian families demand government disclose search coordinates and DNA sample details after Nepal disaster

Families represented by Malaysia Solidarity: Families in Hope (Masfih) are urging the Malaysian authorities to reveal the exact “last known locations” guiding the SMART team’s search for 55 Malaysians who vanished after landslides and floods on the Nepal-Tibet border. Dr Manivannan Rethinam, a Masfih spokesperson and brother of missing sister Komathi, said no victim has been linked to the area currently being surveyed and demanded any new coordinates be shared promptly.

He also highlighted a discrepancy in DNA sampling: officials announced all 55 samples were collected on Sept 5, yet one family member was still slated to provide a sample on Sept 7. The group stresses that families possess critical movement and communication data that could aid the operation and that lack of clear information hampers their ability to locate loved ones. Masfih called for a detailed explanation of the search zones, the source of one outlet used, and the rationale behind the SMART deployment. The appeal underscores a broader call for transparency and accurate reporting from the government amid the ongoing disaster response.