China donates 25,000 masks, 1,200 goggles for Malaysia's Covid-19 medical frontliners

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — China today via its embassy here and a state-funded company donated yet another batch of urgently-needed medical supplies to Malaysia’s Health Ministry for use in the fight against Covid-19.

In a Facebook post today, China’s Embassy in Malaysia said that its ambassador Bai Tian, China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd deputy general manager Bai Yinzhan and Health Ministry secretary-general Dr Chen Chaw Min had today attended an event where the medical aid was handed over at the Health Ministry’s logistics centre.

Citing the ambassador’s comments to the media after the event, the embassy said he had said that his heart had “wept” when seeing news reports of Malaysian medical staff having to make their own personal protective equipment (PPE) due to a shortage of medical equipment, noting that medical workers should be given the best protection and strongest support as the frontline soldiers and backbone of the war against Covid-19.

“Seeing this, Chinese Embassy, together with China Communications Construction (ECRL) SDN BHD, urgently collected 5000 N95 grade face masks, 20000 medical masks and 1200 goggles and gave them all to Malaysia Health Ministry, in an effort to relieve the tension of medical equipment shortage and give a helping hand to medical staff to ensure them a better position in combating the pandemic,” the embassy said in the Facebook post.

The embassy also said it had sent out a call to all China-funded companies in Malaysia to urge them to collect medical equipment to be provided to Malaysia, noting that China Communications Construction (ECRL) is one of the first batch of these companies which have already taken action.

The embassy said more assistance will be coming in over the next few days.

This is not the first time that China’s embassy in Malaysia had channelled contributions for Malaysia’s Covid-19 fight, with the first batch having been delivered on March 19.

Pharmaniaga staff unload boxes of medical supplies donated by the Chinese Embassy in Shah Alam March 24, 2020. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

On March 19, the embassy donated and delivered 5,000 face masks and 10,000 surgical face shields as an aid to Malaysia’s medical personnel at Hospital Sungai Buloh. Its banner then on the lorry delivering the supplies had carried the Chinese embassy’s logo and name, as well as the logo of the China Construction Bank.

The embassy had on March 19 cited its ambassador as saying that a donation of 3,500 Covid-19 laboratory test kits were also en route and expected to reach Malaysia by this week.

Malay Mail yesterday had reported of how Malaysia’s doctors, nurses and medical staff had resorted to making DIY personal protective gear or PPE using materials such as dustbin liners, plastic bags and cling wraps.

Yesterday, Malaysia’s Health Ministry announced that it has set up a dedicated account (2-66016-0002347-5 (RHB Bank)) to allow for donations to be made for the purchase of medical equipment and essentials such as medicine, reagents, disposables for use at its facilities.

Malaysian volunteers have also been coming together to make face shields using 3D printers, laser printers and do-it-yourself (DIY) methods to be supplied to medical personnel involved in the fight against Covid-19.