PUTRAJAYA, Feb 17 — The federal government said today it will manage and channel money donated by Qatar into aid and development programmes for the Rohingya refugee community based in Malaysia.
The announcement was made in a statement after a high-level committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi met today to discuss how to use the money donated by the Qatar Development Fund (QDF).
“The focal point of the meeting included the donation by the QDF which will be used for the welfare of 56,135 Rohingyas that hold the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) cards at the moment,” the committee said.
“Our efforts to help the Rohingyas had received the support of the Qatari government during the DPM’s visit to the country on February 4 to February 7,” it added.
The funds, which was reported to be in “millions of ringgit”, will be managed and disbursed through the National Security Council, the Prime Minister's Department and other ministries and agencies.
The committee said the funds would be used for skills training in the plantation and manufacturing sectors, pre-schooling and primary schooling for the children and a health insurance scheme for the community.
Ahmad Zahid had previously said Qatar had requested Malaysia to prepare a health coverage plan through an insurance company to ensure that the Rohingya refugees received the best treatment.
According to him, the QDF would sponsor the payments for the insurance premiums specially accorded to Rohingya refugees in Malaysia.
Malaysia has been championing the plight of the minority Rohingya in Myanmar against continuous discrimination, and the latest endeavour by its top leadership was to send a humanitarian vessel loaded with thousands of metric tonnes of food and emergency provisions to Myanmar for the deprived community.
