MELAKA: Nepal is seeking to amend its laws to expedite the issuance of death certificates for 54 Malaysians who remain unaccounted for following floods and landslides in the country in August.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said Nepal's current laws require a waiting period of up to three years before death certificates can be issued for people who remain missing after a disaster.
He said representatives of the Nepali Embassy informed him of the matter during a visit to his office last week.
"The Nepali government is pursuing the legal amendments and will table them in Parliament. Failing that, it will make special arrangements to ensure death certificates can be issued without delay for the 54 Malaysians who remain unaccounted for," he told reporters after officiating the closing ceremony of the National Solidarity Association's (PerSoNa) 10th National General Conference for the 2025 session here today.
Mohamad said the certificates were needed by the victims' families to settle related matters, including dealings with banks and insurance companies.
On Aug 26, flash floods and landslides struck Nepal's Rasuwa district and the Nepal-Tibet border area following heavy rain, damaging infrastructure and communications and hampering search-and-rescue operations.
The Foreign Ministry had earlier confirmed that a Malaysian who had been uncontactable after the disaster returned home safely on Oct 2, bringing the number of Malaysians still unaccounted for to 54.
Meanwhile, Mohamad said Malaysia was awaiting decisions by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and the National Security Council (NSC) on assistance to tackle forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia.
He said the outcome of the discussions would be brought to the cabinet for approval.
Efforts to extinguish the fires remained challenging because they were burning in remote areas amid thick haze, he added.
"Visibility is below 50 metres and the Air Pollutant Index in Kalimantan has reached 1,000," he said, adding that Malaysia would assess the risks before deciding whether to provide air support.
He said Malaysia would not deploy pilots if conditions posed a threat to their safety.
On the situations in Italy and France, Mohamad advised Malaysians travelling to the two countries to avoid demonstrations and areas where rioters had gathered.
He said there were currently no travel restrictions for either country, but Malaysians should remain cautious and follow local authorities' safety advice. -BERNAMA
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