KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — Wisma Putra through Malaysia’s Diplomatic Equipment Stockpile (MDES) has received over 355,500 facemasks and financial contribution of RM250,000 so far, says Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
He said the assistance was provided by various parties to help the ministry’s frontliners in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Apart from medical equipment and cash, many parties have also offered words of encouragement as well as appreciation and thanks to Wisma Putra’s frontliners,” he said in a statement today.
The symbolic handover ceremony was held at Wisma Putra, Putrajaya, and broadcast live on Hishammuddin’s official Facebook page this afternoon.
Hishammuddin said the MDES was established because Wisma Putra did not wish to burden the government further by obtaining equipment for its frontline personnel from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma).
“This is because, Wisma Putra understands that the Covid-19 frontliners in Malaysia, in particular health personnel, members of the police force and Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) are more in need of the equipment and should be given priority,” he said.
The facemask contributions were from Perfect China Co. Ltd (300,000 pieces), The Weststar Group (30,000 pieces), China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co. Ltd. (8,000 pieces) and Malaysia-Myanmar Business Commerce (7,500 pieces).
Meanwhile, cash contributions were made by Roadcare (M) Sdn. Bhd (RM50,000), Tan Sri Francis Lau Tuang Nguang (RM50,000) and an individual who wished to remain anonymous (RM150,000).
Among the earliest contributors to Wisma Putra through MDES was the Chinese Government, which donated 10,000 facemasks on March 30.
Hishammuddin said Wisma Putra had begun distributing the facemasks to Malaysian representatives overseas in stages since April 2.
In addition, he said a company in Japan known as JAGAM (Tokyo Chapter) and Jounan Shoji Co. Ltd had also contributed facemasks for the Embassy of Malaysia in Tokyo on April 2.
In the meantime, Hishammuddin encouraged other parties out there to contribute to the MDES as well as to express their undivided appreciation and support to the Wisma Putra frontliners.
“Let us all pray that Wisma Putra’s effort through the MDES is facilitated by Allah, and that the Covid-19 crisis currently plaguing the world ends soon. Amin Ya Rabbal Alamin,” he said. — Bernama
