Overwhelming response for aid collected for Rohingya

PORT KLANG - Malaysians again proved their generosity as they donated more than 560 tonnes worth of food, toiletries and medicines to help the Rohingya refugees in Myanmar.

The Putra 1Malaysia Club, which mounted the drive on Aug 22, said the collection exceeded the targeted 480 tonnes, the maximum load to be carried by KD Indera Sakti.

Its president, Datuk Abdul Azeez Rahim, said the overwhelming response from Malaysians of all races, made it possible for them to breach the target in just a week.

Abdul Azeez said the group was supposed to head for Bangladesh yesterday, but the trip was postponed as Wisma Putra was awaiting approval from the Myanmar government to allow the ship to dock at its Sittwe Port.

He said 90 people had volunteered to join the mission, but the ship could only accommodate 38 people.

The group will head for Sittwe on Wednesday and return on Sept 16 after transporting the aid to some 200,000 Rohingya refugees staying in camps at Kutupalons and Mayapara, 120km from Chittagong, Bangladesh, near the Thai-Myanmar border.

Abdul Azeez said the club had collaborated with hypermarket chains Giant and Mydin to channel the contributions. The team will also bring RM310,000 (S$124,000) worth of medical supplies and 15,000 burial shrouds to be distributed to the refugees.

"We simply want to distribute food, clothing and medicine to the Rohingya, especially women, children and the elderly."

"The Rohingyas did not have proper burial shroud and make do by using mats and whatever material they could spare to bury the deceased.

The Rohingya Muslims suffered under the junta since 1978 and were restricted from becoming Myanmar citizens.

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