Anwar leaving for Turkiye tonight

Anwar said due to his work commitments, he was initially hesitant to visit the country but changed his mind after receiving calls from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"Initially, I was reluctant because the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) is already there and a (field) hospital has been set up. However, in the spirit of friendship I have decided to go there," he told reporters after a meeting with senators at Parliament Building here today.

Anwar said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir would accompany him on the one-day trip.

Earlier, during Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar said Erdogan had called him twice asking him to go to Turkiye.

"I am considering to fly there tonight to give my moral support. I have been asked by the President to go there immediately," he said.

On Feb 6, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkiye and parts of Syria, and as of yesterday, 31,643 people have been confirmed dead and 106,428 injured in Turkiye while in Syria the casualty figures were 5,329 dead and 14,500 injured.