CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh: Thirteen Malaysian MPs on a humanitarian aid mission to the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar arrived at the Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport, here today.
The group boarded a bus to Cox’s Bazar, about 143km away, in a journey which would take about five hours.
The delegation, led by Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee, included MPs from the Barisan Nasional and the opposition, among them Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Ab Aziz Kaprawi (BN-Sri Gading), Datuk Ago Anak Dagang (BN-Kanowit), Datuk Raimi Unggi (BN-Tenom), Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang) and Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar (PKR-Tumpat).
Also in the mission were representatives from the National Security Council (NSC), National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Defence and the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office.
The delegation will hand over some 25 tonnes of food supplies to Malaysian non-governmental organisations, including the Malaysian Islamic Organisation Consultative Council (Mapim) and the Medical Relief Society Malaysia (Mercy Malaysia), to be distributed to Rohingya refugees at the Kutupalong Refugee Camp, about 35km from Cox’s Bazar.
In addition, the members of the delegation are also expected to visit the Malaysian-sponsored field hospital being built near the refugee camp.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak announced that the field hospital could accommodate up to 150 patients at a time, and included facilities such as an operation theatre, X-ray facility, and special rooms for mothers and children.
Expected to begin operations on Dec 1, the field hospital will be fully managed by the Ministry of Health Malaysia, with a team of 140 Malaysian staff including specialist doctors. — Bernama
