KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has pledged an initial sum of RM10mil in humanitarian aid to support the people of Myanmar who are affected by Friday’s devastating earthquake, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“The visit is to reaffirm Malaysia’s support for the ongoing search and rescue efforts.
“Teams from the National Disaster Management Agency are now operating on the ground, standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow responders at the frontline of rescue and relief operations,” he said in a statement yesterday, Bernama reported.
Fifty officers and personnel from the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) left for Naypyidaw in Myanmar yesterday morning.
Anwar stressed that the spirit of togetherness and collective action among Asean member countries is crucial to handling such humanitarian situations.
“Asean’s duty to protect the well-being of its people must be met with swift, coordinated and purposeful action,” he added.
He said Malaysia would continue to discuss and cooperate closely with its Asean partners to coordinate aid for Myanmar to ensure every effort brings the desired impact for the victims.
“Malaysia remains unwavering in its commitment to regional unity and to advancing Asean’s humanitarian agenda, grounded in compassion, shared responsibility and solidarity,” he added.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, with Mandalay, Bago, Magway, northeast Shan state, Sagaing and Naypyidaw being among the worst-hit regions.
The tremors also rattled neighbouring countries, including Thailand.
More than 1,600 people have been confirmed killed in Myanmar, while in Bangkok, a 12th body was recovered late on Saturday evening from the site of a collapsed high-rise building.
