Malaysia's Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) is fully prepared to deploy to Nepal in response to devastating floods, but awaits official approval from the Nepalese government to proceed with the mission [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The deployment follows floods and landslides that struck Nepal’s Rasuwa District on August 26, 2026, causing a mounting death toll and hundreds missing [3, 4, 5, 6].
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Madani Government have confirmed the decision to send the SMART team for search and rescue operations, along with a US$1 million contribution to assist flood victims and support recovery efforts in Nepal [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The Malaysian Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamed Hassan, said Malaysia has made a formal request to Nepal's government for permission to deploy SMART and expressed gratitude for Nepal's cooperation extended to the Malaysian Embassy amid the crisis [7].
The SMART team comprises 112 personnel led by Captain Plaveanus Bernard. They remain on standby pending Nepal's consent and participated in Malaysia’s 69th National Day parade on August 31 while preparing for deployment [3, 4, 5, 6]. Senior Fire and Rescue Officer Abdul Manaf Che Isa said, "As of this morning, we are still waiting for feedback from the Nepalese government regarding its readiness to receive the (SAR) team from Malaysia." He added that although the national day parade was scheduled, the team is ready to deploy at any moment [2, 3].
The mission's key objectives include locating and repatriating Malaysians affected by the disaster and assisting the Malaysian Embassy in Nepal with relief coordination [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. As of August 29, 55 Malaysians were reported missing in Nepal, with another 36 uncontactable in China amid the floods and landslides that also struck Tibet [3, 4, 5, 6]. The overall death toll in Nepal and Tibet has reached 804, with nearly 3,300 people reported missing [3, 4, 5, 6].
Coordination for the deployment involves Malaysia's National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), the Foreign Ministry, the National Security Council, and related agencies working closely on readiness and logistics [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamed Hassan confirmed that formal diplomatic talks with Nepal's Foreign Minister have taken place to facilitate the mission [7].
Malaysia now awaits Nepal’s final decision on the deployment as the SMART team stands ready to provide urgent aid and support in the flood-affected region.
