THE government is prepared to send DNA specialists from the Department of Chemistry to Nepal to help identify victims of the devastating floods, as authorities work to locate 55 Malaysians who remain unaccounted for.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the experts would be deployed if required to assist Nepalese authorities and expedite the identification process.
He said DNA samples from the next of kin of all 55 missing Malaysians had been collected and would be sent to Nepal for matching.
“If necessary, we will send experts from the Department of Chemistry to assist the Nepalese authorities in identifying the victims and carrying out DNA matching.
“There are many victims involved and it will take a long time to carry out the matching,” he said after officiating the Pinggiran Senawang Independence Carnival organised by UMNO and the Pinggiran Senawang Residents’ Committee at Taman Pinggiran Senawang in Seremban today.
Mohamad said several other countries were also preparing to send DNA specialists to Nepal to help speed up the identification of victims.
Meanwhile, he said Nepal had permitted Malaysia to deploy only 10 members of the Malaysian Special Search and Rescue Team (SMART) to assist in search and rescue (SAR) operations.
“Based on our experience during the earthquake in Kathmandu previously, too many SAR teams from other countries eventually made it difficult for the local authorities to coordinate and manage the operation.
“They do not want that to happen again, which is why the Nepalese Government has limited the deployment of foreign SAR teams,” he said.
Mohamad said the SMART team had also been equipped with five high-capacity drones donated by several Malaysian companies, including Proton and Petronas, to support search and rescue operations in difficult-to-access slopes and ravines.
“The area is long and vast, stretching across Tibet, Nepal and India. So, the area is extremely extensive, besides having dangerous slopes and ravines,” he said. - September 5, 2026
