MALAYSIA will deploy its Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) to Nepal to assist search-and-rescue (SAR) operations following the devastating floods that struck the Nepal-Tibet region, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.
Anwar said the National Security Council (MKN) and the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), in collaboration with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, had been tasked with coordinating the deployment with the Nepalese government so the team could be mobilised as quickly as possible.
"The SMART team is also entrusted with locating and bringing home affected Malaysians, in addition to assisting the Malaysian Embassy in Nepal in coordinating aid and ensuring their safety and welfare," he said in a statement.
Malaysia will also provide US$1 million to Nepal to assist victims affected by the disaster and support post-disaster recovery efforts, Anwar said.
The deployment comes as rescue operations continue across severely affected areas, with thousands of people still missing and communities facing major logistical and access challenges.
Wisma Putra earlier said 55 Malaysians remained unreachable in Nepal following the disaster, while another 36 were unaccounted for in China.
The ministry said the number remained subject to change as contact was re-established and additional information became available.
The SMART deployment is aimed not only at supporting Nepal's wider rescue effort but also at strengthening Malaysia's direct response to the situation involving its citizens caught up in the disaster. - August 30, 2026
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