Govt committed to finding, repatriating missing Malaysians, says Mohamad

 

Foreign minister Mohamad Hasan said it is Wisma Putra’s duty to be aware of, and manage the welfare of Malaysians living abroad. (Bernama pic)

SEREMBAN: Wisma Putra remains committed to helping locate Malaysians missing abroad and bringing them back, foreign minister Mohamad Hasan said.

However, he said, it was quite difficult for the ministry to trace these people if they chose not to be found.

Mohamad said that besides fostering diplomatic relations between countries, it is Wisma Putra’s duty to be aware of, and manage, the welfare of Malaysians abroad.

“That is sometimes the problem; when some people do not want to be known that they are in that country, so how can we do our work?

“At the very least, their families should know where they are and then they can contact us (to bring them back), so the issue of Wisma Putra not being concerned does not arise.

“We have many channels and relationships; we can use various resources, including the embassies of those countries here, the police and Interpol.

“We can do many things, but if we do not know their whereabouts, it is impossible for us to trace them and provide the necessary assistance,” he said in Rantau, here.

The media recently reported that a 77-year-old mother from Kulai, Johor, was seeking help from the public to trace her eldest son, who had been missing for 36 years after graduating from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in the US.

Mohamad also advised Malaysians abroad to register with the Malaysian diplomatic mission in their country of residence.

“They must communicate, register and contact the embassy so that we know how many Malaysians are studying, working, residing or living as permanent residents in those countries,” he said. - FMT