REMBAU: Malaysia will help set up a field hospital in Myanmar to help victims of the recent earthquake, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (pic).
The Foreign Minister said he had tabled this proposal during the last Cabinet meeting and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had agreed in principle to proceed with the matter.
“We will now leave it to the Health Ministry and the Armed Forces to work on setting up the hospital, which will have some 30 beds and operating rooms, including X-ray, as well as other facilities.
“We will also decide how many surgeons and other personnel will be sent from here to man the hospital,” he told reporters when met at his Hari Raya open house in Kg Tanjung in Rantau near here yesterday.
Mohamad, also known as Tok Mat, said Malaysia will also fly in medical supplies, as these are not readily available in the affected areas in Myanmar.
He said Malaysia is ready to help out, as we have the experience setting up field hospitals during disasters in other countries such as Turkiye and Bangladesh previously.
“We want to help, as 84 hospitals in Myanmar have been damaged by the quake.
“We will also work with other Asean member countries to provide mobile water-purifying systems to Myanmar, as its underground pipe networks have also been badly damaged,” he said, adding that Asean will also help by providing tents and temporary shelters as many houses have been destroyed.
He said discussions are also being held at the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management to coordinate aid distribution from member countries.
Mohamad said he would also talk to the Thai government to allow aid from Asean countries to be flown into Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw via its Don Mueang Airport due to its proximity.
The minister also estimated that the process of rebuilding Myanmar would take a decade based on what he witnessed during his visit there following the April 5 earthquake.
“There have been several tremors reported ever since, and the people are afraid to sleep indoors.
“Even I felt a tremor while having a meeting with the Myanmar Prime Minister during the visit,” he said.
Mohamad also expressed hope that fighting between the warring factions in Myanmar will stop for now.
“During my visit, I did tell the authorities there that if the safety of any Asean or Malaysian aid workers is threatened, we will not hesitate to pull out immediately.”
