‘Condition of Rohingya refugees grim’

Conditions at the Rohingya refugee camp at the Bangladesh-Myanmar border continue to be grim, said the Malaysian team helping out there.

There is no access to clean water, said 1Malaysia For Youth (iM4U) chief executive officer Rudy Malik who is leading a third mission to deliver 56.6 tonnes of humanitarian relief material.

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The refugees also have no proper toilets, he said.

"It is devastating because they lack the most basic necessities. To get water, they use tube wells but these can only be set up in certain areas."

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But the refugees still have food, which is cooked in pots provided by aid organisations and in fire pits dug into the ground.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Najib Razak sent off the "My Caring Nation, Humanitarian Mission for Rohingya" from the cargo complex at the KL Interna­tional Airport (KLIA).

The relief items, which include medicine, biscuits, sanitary pads, toothbrushes, towels, disposable diapers and blankets, was sent via an A330-300 Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAS) cargo aircraft.

The distribution will be managed by iM4U, which is representing the Prime Minister's Office. It will be assisted by the Bangladesh government.

The team has received permission from Bangladesh to deliver the aid directly to the refugees.

The first humanitarian mission was on Sept 9 while the second was on Oct 7.

Newly-appointed MAS executive director and group chief executive officer Capt Izham Ismail said the national carrier is proud to participate in this mission spearheaded by the prime minister.

"This is the third flight we are embarking on. We hope the aid will ease the suffering of the Rohingya refugees," he said. "We commit ourselves and support the mission in the spirit of Negaraku."

Anyone who wants to help the initiative should use the iM4U Maybank account 5643-2460-5701, or send food and other essential items to any of the six collection centres in the country.

The centres, operating from noon to 10pm daily until Oct 30, are KLIA's Landside Operation Office near the airport limousine waiting area; Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport's old Terminal 2; Kota Kinabalu Interna­tional Airport's old Terminal 2; Penang International Airport's Malaysia Airports training centre; Kuching International Airport's MAB cargo complex; and Surau Al Mikraj at Kelantan's Sultan Ismail Petra Airport.

Copyright: The Star/ Asia News Network