KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organisations (MAPIM) has started sending volunteers to provide basic aid to the areas affected by the tsunami which hit the Sunda Straits, Indonesia, on Dec 22.
It chief executive officer Dr Ahmad Sani Araby Al-Kahery said MAPIM had sent two disaster activists who are also with the Malaysian Civil Defence Force to the affected areas.
“We have sent two of our volunteers there, they were originally in Palu for the village project, then after the tsunami occurred in the Sunda Straits, I directed them there to provide assistance,
“Yesterday, they managed to enter the critical areas, and as we know, there are several critical areas, including Pantai Carita, Pantai Sumur and others...our team managed to cover three areas,” he told Bernama when contacted here today.
Ahmad Sani said the team started distributing food packs, medicines and essential items today and also helped in recovering the bodies of the victims.
For now, he said, MAPIM was not planning to send more volunteers as the situation was still at the alert stage.
“We are not sending in more people yet as we are cautious about what can happen. The Indonesian government has also issued a statement calling for people to be cautious, not just the people there but also those who want to save them, everyone must be very cautious,” he said.
Ahmad Sani said members of the public who want to donate can do so through the same fund for Palu at www.rayuansulawesi.com or to the Maybank account 5582 2060 5312.
Meanwhile, chief executive officer of Humanitarian Care Malaysia (MyCARE), Kamarul Anwar Shaharul Anwar said early assistance in the form of food and hygiene packs will be provided to the victims soon through its affiliated non-governmental organisation in Indonesia, Pos Keadilan Peduli Ummat (PKPU) Human Initiative.
“For the moment, there are no plans for a mission there. However, as usual, early assistance will be sent this week through PKPU which was already on the ground several hours after the tragedy occurred.
“Members of the public who want to donate can do so through the website www.billplz.com/selatsunda or MyCARE Maybank account 5515 7500 4299, CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad (86 0213559 2) and Bank Islam (1209 20100 34904),” he said.
According to a statement by spokesman of the Indonesian National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure (BNPB), Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, as of yesterday, the number of deaths in the tsunami had increased to 373 people, with 128 still missing, while 1,459 were injured. - Bernama