Be prepared for DNA test, Nepal flood victims’ families told

 The foreign ministry says the police will help the next of kin in the collection of DNA samples to match with unidentified bodies in the disaster area.

The foreign ministry today held a briefing for the next of kin of Malaysians who are still missing following the devastating floods in Nepal last Wednesday.

PUTRAJAYA:

The next of kin of Malaysians who have yet to be traced following the flash floods and landslides in Nepal have been asked to prepare to undergo a DNA test to assist in the identification process.

Sivakumar Kalimuthu, 57, who is still awaiting news of his wife Kalai Mathe Karuppaiah, 57, said he and his family were informed of the need for the test during a briefing session with the foreign ministry at Wisma Putra here today.

“The police will contact us for the purpose of this DNA test and I need to gather my three children for the test,” he told reporters.

He said the DNA test was among the preparations that needed to be carried out following the discovery of several unidentified bodies in the disaster area, which had to be buried immediately due to the lack of suitable storage facilities at the location.

He said his three children are currently in Singapore, Langkawi and Selangor, and all of them are still grieving but continue to hope that their mother will be found safe.

Recalling the last communication with his wife, who is a housewife, Sivakumar said he received a call from Kalai Mathe at about 11am last Tuesday.

“My wife informed me that she and a group of tourists from Malaysia totalling 17 people wanted to move into Kailash to pray. However, there has been no further communication since then,” he said.

Sivakumar said he continued to pray for his wife’s safety and hoped to be able to bring her back to the country.

Earlier, the closed briefing by the foreign ministry informed the next of kin of Malaysians who have yet to be traced to undergo a DNA test at the relevant police headquarters starting tomorrow after receiving an official notification.

The test will be used as a cross-reference to identify victims of the incident in Chitwan, Nepal.

Separately, the brother of Malaysian firefighter Fakhrul Munir, 44, who remains uncontactable in Nepal, will join the Special Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) mission to Nepal.

Saiful Munir Isa, 46, said he would join the rescue mission as a member of the team while also hoping to obtain news on the whereabouts and condition of his younger brother.

He said he would make full use of the opportunity to enter Nepal to contribute his expertise to the rescue efforts while continuing to seek information on his brother. - FMT