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  • 1 week ago
Malaysia Solidarity: Families in Hope (Masfih) has called for certified Tamil-speaking counsellors to provide psychological support to families affected by the Nepal disaster.

Its spokesperson, Dr R. Manivannan, said they were urgently needed as many next of kin are elderly and more comfortable communicating in Tamil.

He also urged families to monitor their loved ones for signs of trauma and seek proper psychological screening where needed.

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00:00As of yesterday, there is a psychologist person in the official group.
00:06I was also reached out by Director of Mercy Malaysia, who I personally know.
00:10They have offered free psychological assessment. They have shared the risk.
00:15But one of the challenges we have now, most of these people are only able to speak
00:20converse in English and Malay.
00:24Many of our family members, well, majority apart from 9 Malaysians, if you minus the 55,
00:32the remaining are Indians.
00:34And we have very elderly peoples.
00:38And they are in the 70s, 80s.
00:42They may be able to converse, but they may not be able to understand some of the words and all.
00:50You know, when you go to details, which may not be effective for a counselling or the assistance.
00:55So, I've actually reached out to ask, just now I mentioned it to the Ministry.
01:00And they said at the moment they do not have a Tamil speaking, but they can try to find translators.
01:07Same with Mercy Malaysia, they have two translators.
01:12But, you know, when a translator does it and a person doing it, because this is a very sensitive, it
01:19may not be that effective.
01:21So, I hope maybe the media can think those who have that experience can reach me out or reach out
01:27to the Ministry,
01:29can volunteer your services.
01:30I'm sure there are a lot of Tamil speaking people out there who can offer their services, because we really
01:37need it.
01:38Because, for example, my father, the last four days or five days he was okay.
01:43But as he sees the news, last two days we are so worried.
01:47He is in a depression, he is not talking to anybody, but he is putting up a strong face.
01:52Because my own kids, four of them, they were very close to the aunties.
01:57Each one is dealing differently.
01:59Maybe they can have an English-speaking or Malays-speaking, but not the elderly.
02:04So, if it's happening to my family, I've also been there.
02:07But I've already extended the Mercy Malaysia one to our family member to consider whoever wants to,
02:12I mean to all the 49 Nox.
02:14At the moment, I do not have, oh yeah, I'm sorry.
02:17We had one, our Chinese saudara China kita, Joanne, right?
02:27Whose brother is Jason is missing.
02:29She actually have requested for the service yesterday.
02:34And she have reached out to the psychiatric person.
02:37Because she has an elderly parents who are now, she's very worried.
02:43So, I'm not sure whether she has the language problem issue as well.
02:47If the parents are not so, their competences are not so good, right?
02:51So, that's the current status that I know for sure, one family has reached out.
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