KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — Malaysia welcomes a contribution of one million doses of Covid-19 vaccine by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government, said Senior Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein. 

Hishammuddin, in a statement today, said such contribution would aid the country in facing challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and greatly assist in intensifying the daily vaccination rate of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme. 

"On behalf of His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, the government of Malaysia and the Malaysian people, I would like to express sincerest gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Zayed Al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces,” he said. 

Hishammuddin also thanked UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah Zayed Al-Nahyan and the leadership of the UAE for the urgent and generous contribution.

He said the recent contribution, combined with the ongoing cooperation between both nations in various other areas such as knowledge sharing, underscores the longstanding and brotherly ties between Malaysia and the UAE.

"Malaysia and the UAE remain committed to strengthening our bilateral relationship based on the firm foundation of common values and traditions between our two nations for the mutual benefit of both our peoples,” he added. 

Hishammuddin said this was not the first time the UAE extended Covid-19 assistance to Malaysia as in March last year, UAE contributed 20,000 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test kits.

In May last year, another contribution of seven tonnes of hand sanitizers was made specifically to Wisma Putra’s Malaysia’s Diplomatic Equipment Stockpile (MDES).

UAE’s contribution to MDES was distributed to Malaysia’s ‘diplomatic frontliners’ serving in the country as well as Malaysia’s missions abroad, he added. — Bernama