PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has asked China’s medical experts to share their experience with Malaysian frontliners, says Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
He said this would be done via video conferencing between doctors from both countries tomorrow.
“Medical specialists from 26 hospitals in Malaysia will have a conference call with their counterparts in China to share the best practices in fighting the virus.
“The call followed a request I made to the Chinese government to send medical specialists to Malaysia to assist our medical frontliners, ” he told a press conference yesterday.
He said this was among the initiatives taken by the ministry to source for expert medical aid and equipment from n ions which had good bilateral relations with Malaysia.
Earlier yesterday, Hishammuddin said he had requested for medical equipment from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during a meeting with its representatives.
“Such request to countries is based on personal rapport, trust and two-way communication.
“Every country has its strengths and weaknesses and UAE is just an example where our latest needs can be fulfilled in a short time, ” he said.
Hishammuddin acknowledged that there was a critical shortage of certain medical equipment and as such, countries were reaching out for help from other nations.
“I’m not talking about masks or PPE (personal protective equipment), ” he said.
“Some things are much more critical, which we should not have any qualms, or be too proud to ask for assistance.
“That’s why I appealed to the UAE to provide us with any assistance that they can give, ” he added.Last Friday, the first batch of donated medical supplies from China consisting of 5,000 masks and 10,000 medical face shields arrived at the Sungai Buloh Hospital for frontliners.
Yesterday, a total of 5,000 N95 masks, 20,000 face masks and 1,200 protective eyewear were donated to the Health Ministry to be distributed to frontliners.
The donations were made by the China Construction Bank (Malaysia) and China Communication Construction Co Ltd.
Hishammuddin also said that Wisma Putra had so far brought home over 1,000 Malaysians and their families who were stranded in several countries which had imposed a lockdown, such Uzbekistan, Egypt, the Maldives, Nigeria, Thailand, Japan and Cambodia.
He added that 696 Malaysians in India were brought home yesterday through the cooperation between MIC and AirAsia.
Hishammuddin noted that seven civil servants would be staying put at the High Commission of Malaysia in Dhaka, saying that the government was thankful for their willingness to continue working.
He also called on Malaysians who were brought home to be disciplined in adhering to the self-quarantine order.
“Don’t let us down by doing irresponsible things that will affect other Malaysians, ” he said.
MIC president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran said MIC had agreed to bear the cost of bringing home 270 Malaysians stranded in Bangladesh through six MAS chartered flights.
He said the Bangladeshi government has given its assurance that a special permit will be given to the flights to arrive at and depart from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
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