Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan urges Malaysians to register overseas trips through e-Consular so diplomatic missions can reach them during emergencies.
KUALA LUMPUR: Only slightly more than 6,000 Malaysians registered their overseas travel details through the Foreign Ministry’s e-Consular system in 2025, prompting Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan to urge travellers to register their whereabouts before leaving the country.
He said the low registration figure was concerning, as the system enabled Malaysian diplomatic missions to locate and contact citizens during emergencies abroad.
“Imagine, in 2025, only slightly more than 6,000 people registered through e-Consular. When something happens, only then do people start pressing the government,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.
Mohamad was responding to a supplementary question from Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin), who asked how e-Consular registration could be improved, particularly among Malaysians participating in high-risk activities such as trekking and expeditions.
The question followed concerns over 54 Malaysians who remain uncontactable after the Aug 26 floods in Nepal.
Mohamad explained that e-Consular enabled the ministry to maintain contact details for Malaysians residing or travelling overseas, including information about their destinations, addresses and telephone numbers.
“The application serves as a data and information centre through which the Foreign Ministry can contact Malaysians, whether they are residing overseas or travelling for a visit.
“Just register your journey, where you will be staying and the contact number where you can be reached,” he said.
He also assured Malaysians that the information provided would not be disclosed indiscriminately, stressing that the application required only basic details.
Highlighting the importance of maintaining contact with citizens abroad, Mohamad said the government was working to evacuate five Malaysians, including members of one family, from an unsafe area in Yemen.
“We are now trying to bring out a family and another Malaysian, five people altogether, from the conflict situation in Yemen because the area where they are staying is unsafe,” he said.
Mohamad also praised Malaysians living in Qatar, particularly those working in the oil and gas and aviation sectors, for maintaining regular contact with the Malaysian embassy.
He said their cooperation made it easier for diplomatic officials to reach large numbers of Malaysians when necessary.
“They are very disciplined. Most of them register with the embassy, and when they are called, it is easy to reach them.
“Even if we need to call thousands of them, they can come,” he said.
Mohamad urged all Malaysians, including parliamentarians, to take overseas travel registration seriously.
“To our colleagues, particularly Members of Parliament, register. Don’t wait until something happens and everyone becomes frantic.
“We do not want that situation,” he said.