KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) today appealed for cash donations to help earthquake victims in Nepal.
Its national vice-chairman Datuk Dr Noordin Abdul Razak said based on reports from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the need for financial assistance was crucial for Nepal at the moment.
“Based on the request from the Nepal Red Cross Society announced by the IFRC, they are seeking for about RM116 million to support 75,000 people or 15,000 households.
“The IFRC itself has distributed aid amounting to RM1.75 million from its emergency disaster fund, therefore the MRCS is also responsible to help in the name of humanitarian aid,” he said at the launch of the Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund here today.
Dr Noordin said as for the first step, MRCS aimed to raise RM1 million for this purpose.
Those who wish to donate to MCRS can do so through Maybank account number 5144-2210-2657.
Cash contributions can also be made through cheque/bank draft issued in favour of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, marked ‘Nepal Eartquake’ on the back of the cheque/bank draft and to be forwarded to The Secretary-General, Malaysian Red Crescent Society, National Headquarters Complex, Lot PT54, Lengkok Belfield, Off Jalan Wisma Putra, 50460 Kuala Lumpur.
Dr Noordin said six MRCS volunteers have joined the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) and had left for Kathmandu at 6.30am today.
He said that MRCS was willing to send more volunteers to the Himalayan country, if needed at any time.
For more information on this, the public can contact the MRCS at 03-21436122.
The earthquake which measured 7.9 on the Richter scale hit Nepal in the areas between the capital, Kathmandu and Pokhara 2.56pm (Malaysian time) on Saturday with several aftershocks occurring.
So far the tragedy, the worst to have hit Nepal in the last 81 years, recorded 3,218 deaths and over 6,500 people injured.
Meanwhile, Nepal’s Consulate for Penang and the Northern Region today launched a disaster fund to help quake victims.
Its Honorary Consul Datuk Huan Cheng Guan said proceeds from the fund would be sent to the Nepal government to help the victims.
Those who wish to donate can do so directly at the consulate’s office at No 2777, Jalan Chain Ferry, Taman Inderawasih, 13700 Perai, Pulau Pinang. -- Bernama