KUALA LUMPUR, February 23 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak congratulated and thanked all volunteers of the ‘Food Flotilla For Myanmar’ humanitarian mission for all the time, energy and sweat spent in ensuring success of the mission.

The prime minister also expressed gratitude for the safe return of the Nautical Aliya vessel, which docked at the Boustead Cruise Centre in Port Klang at 10am.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and family members of the 183 volunteers aboard were on hand to welcome the participants of the mission, having waited from as early as 8am.

"Alhamdulillah, the Nautical Aliya vessel carrying thousands of tonnes of food and other essential goods for the Rohingya community in Myanmar and Bangladesh has safely returned to Malaysia after completing its ‘Food Flotilla for Myanmar’ mission.

"May Allah reward all of those who have contributed to this noble mission, Insya-Allah,” Najib said in his latest posting on Facebook and Twitter tonight.

The Nautical Aliya left Port Klang on February 3 carrying 2,300 tonnes of food and other essential goods for the Rohingya community in Myanmar and Bangladesh.

It unloaded some of the aid at Yangon in Myanmar on February 9 and the rest at Chittagong in Bangladesh on February 14.

The humanitarian mission was organised by the Putra 1Malaysia Club and the Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organisations.

The volunteers comprised representatives from Malaysian and foreign NGOs, medical teams, teaching manpower and journalists.

In Bangladesh, the aid was distributed to three refugee camps in Kutupalong, Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf with the assistance of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and the International Organisation for Migration. — Bernama