KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has appointed four officers to liaise with the families of 54 people who remain missing following flash floods in Nepal, Malaysia Solidarity Families in Hope (Masfih) said.
Its representative, Dr R. Manivannan, said the appointment was discussed during a two-and-a-half-hour meeting at BNM involving financial institutions, insurance companies and the missing Malaysians' next of kin.
The floods followed the collapse of a mountain and glacier near Nepal's border with China, triggering tsunami-like waves that swept through northern mountainous areas, destroying homes, roads, bridges and settlements.
More than 1,400 people were killed and over 5,000 remain missing.
The four officers will serve as points of contact, reducing the need for families to repeatedly explain their circumstances to different banks, insurers and agencies.
Manivannan said Masfih had requested one additional officer who speaks Tamil and understands the case to improve communication with affected families.
"We have asked for one more officer who is Tamil-speaking and understands the matter so that communication with the affected families can be clearer and more effective," he said.
He said the arrangement would also help protect families from scam calls seeking personal or financial information.
"We want to ensure that they do not fall victim to scam calls or provide sensitive information to people who claim to represent the authorities or financial institutions," he said.
Manivannan said Masfih would continue pressing for measures to address the families' outstanding financial commitments while the status of their missing loved ones remained unresolved.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd