Floods: US Embassy donates RM420,000 for relief, recovery efforts

PETALING JAYA: The US Embassy in Malaysia has donated RM420,000 for post-flood recovery efforts here through the United States Agency for International Development.

"These funds will support the provision of health services to flood affected households in Malaysia, including medical treatment, disease prevention, and mental health services," said the Embassy in a series of Twitter posts on its official account on Thursday (Dec 30).

It added that it donated the money to the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

"We hope these funds will help provide relief for the people impacted by the recent flooding.

"My colleagues and I also pulled together to raise funds to help members of our own Embassy community whose homes and families were impacted by the flooding," said Chargé d'affaires Michael Newbill.

"We appreciate the tireless work of the Malaysian Red Crescent and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in responding to this disaster, and for their ongoing work supporting Covid-19 relief efforts," he added.

In response, MRCS secretary-general Hakim Hamzah said that the donation was generous and would help its ongoing work.

"We are providing further relief, including food, safe water, medical supplies and hygiene kits to people across the worst affected areas in Malaysia," he said.

Meanwhile, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Malaysia head Alka Kapoorsharma said that the floods are a "double blow" to Malaysians who have been enduring the Covid-19 pandemic.

"These funds go a long way to providing immediate relief and longer term support for people who have been impacted by these floods," she said.