The Nepalese government has agreed to help expedite the process of verifying the status of 55 Malaysians who remain unaccounted for following the devastating floods in the country, said Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil.
He said the agreement was conveyed by Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during a conversation between the two leaders yesterday.
“The Prime Minister said that during the conversation, the Nepalese Prime Minister had conveyed his agreement to help expedite the process of verifying the status of the 55 Malaysians who remain unaccounted for following the disaster in Nepal,” he told a press conference after the Cabinet meeting here today.
Following this, Fahmi said the Prime Minister had instructed Attorney General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar to hold further discussions with the Nepalese authorities immediately.
Fahmi said the discussions would cover legal aspects and court jurisdiction.
The floods and debris flow tragedy on Aug 26, triggered by a glacial ice and rock collapse in the upper catchment area of the Lhende Khola in Tibet, has so far claimed 1,451 lives.
About 5,700 people, including more than 600 foreign nationals, remain missing.
