MALAYSIAN MISSING IN WEST SUMATRA LANDSLIDE WHILE TRAVELLING TO VISIT RELATIVES

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- Malaysian citizen Asrul Nizam Apridwson, 30, missing following a landslide in Padang Panjang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, on Nov 27, was reportedly on his way to visit relatives there.

The victim's mother, Erna Lis Alam Shah, 52, said her son had travelled there with his uncle, taking a ferry from Port Dickson to Dumai on Nov 26, before continuing their journey to Padang Pariaman in a rented van.

She said the incident took place when the vehicle carrying eight people, including the driver, stopped in the Padang Panjang area due to heavy rain and flooding along the route ahead.

"I was informed that in the incident at 11 am, four passengers, including Asrul Nizam and my younger brother, were inside the vehicle, while three others and the driver, were outside.

"Asrul Nizam may have been resting inside the van, which prevented him from escaping when the incident caused their van to be buried or swept away by strong currents," she told Bernama when contacted today.

Erna Lis, a permanent resident, said she learned of the incident from a friend who was in contact with a survivor.

She said Asrul Nizam, a bachelor, lived with her in Sungai Buloh, Selangor, where he worked as a food trader.

She added that the family is still waiting for the latest information from Indonesian authorities.

"I pray that my son is safe, but I will accept it if fate decides otherwise. At the very least, I just want to see his remains, regardless of its condition," she said.

Yesterday, the Foreign Ministry confirmed Asrul Nizam's disappearance and that the Consulate General of Malaysia in Medan is liaising with Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS), the West Sumatra Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and the Padang Panjang Police for the latest updates on the search and rescue operation.

-- BERNAMA