SEREMBAN: The Foreign Ministry, through the Malaysian Consulate General in Medan, continues to closely monitor developments and coordinate response efforts related to the flood and landslide disasters affecting West Sumatra, North Sumatra and Aceh in Indonesia.
Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said that as of yesterday, seven Malaysians were identified as having been stranded due to the flooding, with one individual still reported missing while six others have safely returned to Malaysia.
“The search for the missing victim, Asrul Nizam Apridwson, has now entered its 23rd day, and there has been no latest update from the Indonesian authorities,” he told reporters after attending the Khatan Perdana programme at Taman Pinggiran Senawang here today.
Meanwhile, Mohamad said that, as of Dec 16, Education Malaysia in Jakarta reported a total of 49 Malaysian students in Aceh, with 24 still there and 25 having safely returned to Malaysia.
“Our students in Aceh are safe, and the Higher Education Ministry has also extended financial assistance of RM500 to affected Malaysian students in Indonesia,” he said.
Mohamad said Indonesia’s National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) reported 1,071 deaths, with 185 people still missing and more than 525,868 residents displaced to temporary shelters as of yesterday due to the disaster.
He added that Indonesia has also estimated the total cost of recovery and reconstruction efforts for the three affected provinces to exceed RM12.7 million (51.82 trillion rupiah).
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd