KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 — Malaysian non-governmental organisations will be commencing their winter humanitarian assistance missions to Syria in stages from next week.

Mercy Malaysia will be despatching aid in the form of medicine, food and winter clothes worth RM150,000 next week.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Life Line for Syria (MLLFS) will also be sending winter aid such as food, clothes and medicine valued at RM470,000 next month.

Mercy Malaysia Strategic Programme Development director Norazam Abu Samah told Bernama, the programme called Perseverance at Refugee Camps During Winter will be held throughout the year depending on the needs of refugee camps in Syria.

“We will look into the aspects of health, food and clean water at refugee camps in Syria, while giving them assistance during winter,” he said.

Norazam said the body had spent RM698,758 for humanitarian programmes in Syria to date including assistance to Syrian refugee camps at the border with Jordan and Lebanon last year.

“Mercy Malaysia will be sending the required assistance if the restrictions on Madaya are relaxed by the Syrian government.

“Hopefully when we are there (Syrian border), we will find a way to reach Madaya residents,” he said.

Madaya which has a population of 40,000, has been beseiged since July by Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and his ally, Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, MLLFS chief executive officer Syahrir Azfar Saleh said the NGO had since 2012 to last year sent assistance valued at RM4.5 million to Syrian refugee camps.

“MLLFS would be using the route via Turkey to send the assistance to Yathrib, Aleppo and Hama in Syria next month,” he said.

He said members of the public who wish to contribute to the people of Syria could channel their donations via www.billplz.com/form/winter2016.       

MLFFS has so far built two schools, 10 madrasahs, four field hospitals, four clean water wells, a bread factory, two water tanks as well as providing supplies of food and clothes in Syria. — Bernama