Malaysia sending 100 containers of aid to Gaza

Malaysia will be sending 100 containers holding 1,358 tonnes of goods comprising various donations to Gaza, through the sixth humanitarian aid mission launched today.

The “Malaysian 100-Container Emergency Humanitarian Aid Mission from Cairo to Gaza” flag-off ceremony was officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today.

The mission, led by the Consultative Council of Malaysian Islamic Organisations (Mapim), was flagged off at the Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Subang, Selangor.

Zahid said the government is determined to defend the people of Gaza and Palestine and will organise help at various levels involving agencies and organisations such as Mapim, Op Ihsan, and others.

“This time, insya-Allah, 100 containers will be sent by Mapim with 1,358 tonnes of goods to be put into containers and sent (from Cairo) to Gaza.

“Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is also committed to helping Mapim deliver these goods which are largely bought in Egypt, especially in Cairo.

“So government-to-government affairs (G2G) will be managed by the prime minister himself,” Zahid said when met by reporters after the flag-off.

He also said Anwar is expected to contact Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to discuss the Malaysian aid mission run by Mapim to facilitate the process of sending donations to Gaza.

“The prime minister will telephone President El-Sisi to get approval so that this aid reaches its destination (Gaza),” said Zahid.

At the Subang ceremony, Anwar was also present momentarily to give support to Mapim before he left for Kuantan, Pahang, on official business.

Flour, food, baby items

Meanwhile, chief activist of Mapim Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby, who is also the head of the mission, said the special mission involved the delivery of 100 containers in the form of basic goods.

The goods include wheat flour, food boxes, as well as mother and baby items, which are worth RM12 million in total, with all the items to be purchased in Cairo, Egypt before being loaded into containers to be trucked overland into Gaza.

Donations for the mission included joint funding by six NGOs led by Mapim in collaboration with Cinta Gaza Malaysia (CGM), Iman Care Malaysia, Pertubuhan Glocal Ihsan Malaysia, Federation of Islamic Associations New Zealand (Fianz), and Al-Khair Foundation from the United Kingdom.

“This mission is a national effort organised by NGOs with the assistance of the Malaysian government, as proof that even though we are ‘dwarfs’ on the world map, we all have big hearts and never give up to defend Gaza,” he said.

This mission involves 20 members who will be on the ground in Cairo for 10 days to make all the purchases, load the goods, and deliver them to the Rafah border. The delegation is expected to return three days before Aidilfitri.

- Bernama

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