KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reached out to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing yesterday to extend Malaysia’s condolences following the devastating earthquake in Myanmar.
KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reached out to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing yesterday to extend Malaysia’s condolences following the devastating earthquake in Myanmar.
As Malaysia prepares to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Anwar reaffirmed the country's commitment to standing in solidarity with the people of Myanmar during this difficult time.
“Malaysia and ASEAN will continue to support ongoing humanitarian aid efforts, including the deployment of the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART), which arrived in Myanmar early today to assist in search and rescue (SAR) operations in the hardest-hit areas,” he shared in a Facebook post.
Anwar also announced that a humanitarian mission, led by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, will depart for Myanmar soon.
Additionally, he informed Min about the Special Emergency ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, convened by Malaysia yesterday to coordinate regional support for Myanmar.
In a related development, Anwar said he also spoke with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to offer condolences and support, as the earthquake also impacted Thailand.
“During our conversation, we also discussed ASEAN’s ongoing efforts to assist Myanmar in achieving a peaceful resolution to its crisis. Insya-Allah, we will continue these discussions during my working visit to Bangkok on April 17, at the invitation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra,” he said.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which struck central Myanmar on March 28, has claimed over 1,600 lives, injured more than 3,400 people, and caused widespread devastation.
Malaysia has pledged an initial RM10 million in humanitarian aid to assist those affected. Additionally, two Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) aircraft have been dispatched to Naypyidaw, carrying 50 SMART personnel and essential equipment for SAR operations.
The mission is being coordinated by the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), in collaboration with the Defence Ministry, Foreign Ministry, and the Malaysian Embassy in Yangon. — Bernama
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