OFFICIAL PORTAL
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
PETALING JAYA:
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he had a “frank and constructive” discussion with Myanmar’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing today.
In a Facebook post, Anwar said their discussion touched, among others, on the importance of “returning the country to normalcy”, adding that he would also meet with representatives of the National Unity Government (NUG).
The NUG and National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) form the Myanmar government-in-exile, which was established after a 2021 military coup that sparked widespread protests and civil unrest across the country.
Civil rights groups say the junta has arrested thousands of protesters and activists since the coup, which saw its military overthrow the democratically-elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy.
The coup plunged the nation into a multi-sided civil war which has seen at least three million people displaced, according to the United Nations.
Myanmar’s military government yesterday said it would release nearly 5,000 prisoners in an amnesty to mark the country’s new year festivities, reported AFP.
“I welcome recent steps to ease tensions, including the release last night of 4,800 detainees. Such gestures are a meaningful signal,” said Anwar.
Anwar also encouraged all parties to “engage seriously” in the interest of Myanmar’s stability and the wellbeing of its people.
Asean – which Malaysia is chairing this year – wants Myanmar to implement a five-point peace plan to halt the fighting, with the ruling generals barred from attending its meetings over their failure to comply.
He said he and Min discussed the immediate deployment of a field hospital in the country after the recent earthquake.
The devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28 has claimed more than 5,300 lives and compounded the already critical humanitarian crisis in the country amid the civil war.
Yesterday, foreign minister Mohamad Hasan said the mission to deploy medical officers to Myanmar to set up a field hospital was postponed at the request of Myanmar’s authorities.
TAPAH:
Foreign minister Mohamad Hasan said the mission to deploy medical officers to Myanmar to set up a field hospital has been postponed at the request of Myanmar’s authorities.
He said the Myanmar government had requested the postponement as they were still identifying a safe and strategic location for the hospital’s operations, which was part of Malaysia’s humanitarian aid efforts following the devastating earthquake on March 28.
The team was scheduled to depart yesterday. “The area we are heading to is hostile and dangerous.
“We will be deploying many surgeons and medical teams from the armed forces’ hospital, so their safety is our priority,” he told reporters after visiting the Batu Tiga polling centre here today.
Mohamad said he had contacted his counterpart, U Than Swe, to state that Malaysia would not compromise on the safety of its citizens.
Mohamad also said the humanitarian mission was not a reflection of Malaysia’s recognition of the current Myanmar government, but was instead aimed at helping the people affected by the earthquake.
On Tuesday, defence minister Khaled Nordin said the armed forces would set up a field hospital in Myanmar, with medical teams scheduled for deployment on Wednesday (yesterday).
PETALING JAYA:
A government MP has come to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s defence after the latter was criticised by former foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah over a meeting with Myanmar’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing scheduled for today.
Responding to Saifuddin’s remarks that the meeting in Bangkok was a “step in the wrong direction” as Malaysia had been consistent in not recognising the junta, Sungai Petani MP Taufiq Johari said Anwar chose the “path of engagement” to extend further assistance to Myanmar following the devastating earthquake last month which claimed more than 5,300 lives.
Stating that Anwar’s meeting had the backing of Asean leaders, Taufiq stressed that the prime minister’s discussions with Min should not be seen as a sign that he was endorsing the junta or its 2021 coup which ousted Myanmar’s elected government.
“It’s clear that our prime minister’s rationale for reaching out is to help the common people, not to legitimise the 2021 coup,” he said in a statement.
“This should be clear as Anwar said he would urge the Myanmar junta to extend the current ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to reach victims of the recent earthquake.
“Let’s not forget that the most important thing is to help the people of Myanmar, and that is why we are leading efforts to reach out to them, including setting up a temporary field hospital run by the Malaysian armed forces.”
Taufiq said Asean remained committed to the Five-Point Consensus as the basis for engagement with Myanmar, and that the meeting was being held purely on humanitarian grounds.
He reminded Saifuddin that thousands of Myanmar nationals were deported from Malaysia to face possibly dire consequences in their home country during his tenure as communications minister under Muhyiddin Yassin and foreign minister under Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He also noted Saifuddin’s call for Malaysia and Asean to engage Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) and National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), as well as the nation’s public stakeholders.
NUG and NUCC form the Myanmar government-in-exile, established after the 2021 military coup.
“I would like to emphasise that helping the people of Myanmar is not a repudiation of the government-in-exile,” said Taufiq.
“Perhaps (Saifuddin) is just trying to score political points.
“In the short-term, what is needed for the people of Myanmar is immediate assistance, not political posturing by our opposition.”
On Monday, Anwar said he would urge the Myanmar junta to extend the current ceasefire, calling it crucial to allow humanitarian aid to reach victims of the recent earthquake.
Putrajaya, which has channelled RM10 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar, also sent a team to the country for a search and rescue mission.
PETALING JAYA – Jabatan Meteorologi (MetMalaysia) mengeluarkan amaran ribut petir di Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor, Sabah dan Sarawak sehingga malam ini.
MetMalaysia dalam satu kenyataan memaklumkan, hujan lebat dijangka melanda di Perlis, Kedah (Kubang Pasu, Pokok Sena, Padang Terap, Pendang, Sik dan Baling), Perak (Larut, Matang Dan Selama, Hulu Perak, Kuala Kangsar, Kinta, Kampar, Batang Padang dan Muallim), Terengganu (Dungun dan Kemaman).
“Amaran ribut petir dijangka di Pahang (Tanah Tinggi Cameron, Lipis, Raub, Jerantut, Bentong, Temerloh, Maran dan Kuantan), Selangor (Hulu Selangor, Klang, Gombak, Petaling, Kuala Langat, Hulu Langat dan Sepang), Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor (Tangkak, Muar, Mersing, Kulai, Kota Tinggi dan Johor Bahru).
“Amaran cuaca buruk tersebut turut dikeluarkan di Sarawak termasuk daerah Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei, Sibu, Mukah (Tanjung Manis dan Daro), Kapit (Song dan Kapit), Miri (Telang Usan dan Marudi) dan Limbang.
“Manakala di Sabah kawasan yang terjejas termasuk bahagian pedalaman (Sipitang dan Beaufort), Pantai Barat (Papar, Putatan, Penampang, Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran dan Kota Belud) dan Kudat,” katanya.- KOSMO! ONLINE
VIENTIANE: Gempa bumi berukuran 3.6 pada skala Richter melanda wilayah Phongsaly di utara Laos pagi tadi, namun tiada kecederaan atau kerosakan harta benda dilaporkan.
Menurut laporan Pusat Data Maklumat Gempa Bumi Kebangsaan Laos, gempa berlaku di daerah Yord Ou, wilayah Phongsaly, kira-kira 750 kilometer di utara ibu negara Vientiane, pada 9.40 pagi waktu tempatan.
Gempa berpusat pada 21.995 darjah utara dan 101.655 darjah timur, pada kedalaman 10 kilometer, lapor Xinhua.
Pihak berkuasa tempatan kini sedang memantau aktiviti seismik di kawasan itu dan akan menyediakan maklumat terkini dari semasa ke semasa. – BERNAMA-XINHUA