1 week Ago
REMBAU: Malaysia will set up a field hospital in Myanmar to help victims of the recent earthquake, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. The Foreign Minister said he presented this plan at the last Cabinet meeting, and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim agreed in principle. "We will now leave it to the Health Ministry and the Armed Forces to set up the hospital, which will have about 30 beds, operating rooms, x-ray facilities and more," he said at his Hari Raya open house in Kg Tanjung, Rantau on Saturday (April 12).
"We will also decide how many surgeons and other personnel will be sent to manage the hospital," he added. Malaysia will fly in medical supplies, as these are not readily available in the affected areas in Myanmar. Malaysia has previously set up field hospitals during disasters in countries like Turkey and Bangladesh.
"We want to help as 84 hospitals in Myanmar have been damaged by the quake," Mohamad said. "We will work with other Asean member countries to provide mobile water purifying systems, as Myanmar's underground pipe networks have been badly damaged," he added. Mohamad added that Asean would also help by providing tents and temporary shelters, as many houses have been destroyed.
Discussions are ongoing at the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management to coordinate aid from member countries. Mohamad said he would talk to the Thai government to allow Asean aid to Myanmar to be flown via Don Mueang Airport in Thailand. The earthquakes that struck central Myanmar on March 28 caused widespread casualties and pushed two million people into critical need.
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck at around 1pm local time, with its epicentre in the Sagaing Region, northwest Myanmar. Mandalay, Bago, Magway, northeastern Shan state, Sagaing, and Nay Pyi Taw were among the worst-affected areas, and the quake also affected neighbouring Thailand.
Based on his April 5 visit to Myanmar after the quake, Mohamad said it would take a decade to rebuild the country. "There have been several tremors since, and people are afraid to sleep indoors," he said. "I even felt a tremor during a meeting with the Myanmar Prime Minister," he added.
Mohamad hopes the fighting between warring factions in Myanmar will stop for now. "During my visit, I told the authorities that if the safety of any Asean or Malaysian aid workers is threatened, we will pull out immediately," he said..
