Kuala lumpur: As difficult as it is to wait for news about his father, who remains missing following the tragedy in Nepal, Mohd Firas Shabuddin has chosen to remain rational while praising the Malaysian government's continued commitment to handling the situation.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the 24-year-old engineer expressed satisfaction with the comprehensive efforts of the ministries involved in addressing the crisis. His father, Shabuddin Mun, is among the Malaysians reported missing during a trekking expedition with the Team Loe group, which used a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Despite acknowledging the sadness and tension caused by the situation among the victims' families, Mohd Firas chose to remain calm and trust the rescue efforts to professionals. He emphasized the importance of staying rational, stating, 'We have to remain rational, if we allow our emotions to get the better of us, nothing will be resolved. Let the ministries do their jobs, as our task now is to pray and trust (in Allah),' he said when contacted by Bernama.
Commenting on a recent briefing session at Wisma Putra, Mohd Firas highlighted its effectiveness as a platform for coordinating information to ensure all family members received accurate facts. During the closed-door briefing, the Foreign Ministry advised family members not to travel to Nepal due to limited access to the incident site and informed them of plans to create a special WhatsApp group for daily status updates.
Families were also advised to rely on credible sources, such as Wisma Putra, Bernama, and the official website of the Nepal police. Additionally, family members were encouraged to undergo DNA testing at the state police contingent headquarters starting tomorrow. Mohd Firas commented positively on the DNA testing recommendation, saying, 'That is a very good move. Whether they are alive or not, at least the ministry is taking various actions to help us.'
Meanwhile, 33-year-old Muhammad Ashraf revealed that his father, 63-year-old Mohd Padzil Darus, was also part of the Team Loe trekking expedition, which included nine Malaysians and one Nepalese national. Muhammad Ashraf stated that his family agreed to undergo the DNA sampling process as a precautionary measure, given the uncertainty surrounding the victims' whereabouts and condition.
He mentioned that the last communication with his father was about an hour before the tragedy, when he received a photograph showing the conditions and scenery at the expedition site. Muhammad Ashraf said his family is now waiting together for further updates while holding special prayers for the safe return of his father and the other group members.