Food Flotilla for Myanmar: 500 tonnes of relief goods arrive in Thilawa port

A total of 500 tonnes of relief goods brought by the Food Flotilla for Myanmar humanitarian mission arrived in Thilawa International Port, here, at 5.30 pm Malaysia time on Thursday.

Head of mission Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim said he was confident that the Malaysian Ambassador to Myanmar will continue to monitor that these relief items reach the refugees in Rakhine.

"We will wait for the next instruction whether or not to stop in Sittwe, and this confirms that the first phase of the mission is complete," he told reporters here on Thursday.

At the same press conference, Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said the department is working closely with the government of Myanmar to ensure that this mission is successful.

"The openness of the government of Myanmar to receive this aid shows that it is something very positive.

"They also recognise that the Sittwe and Rakhine regions are among those needing the assistance," he said.

Items such as 300 tonnes of rice and 200 tonnes of health kits, blankets and food items were delivered by Head of Mission Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim and President of the Islamic Consultative Council of Malaysia (PIM) to the Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement of Myanmar Dr Win Myat Aye and witnessed by the Ambassador of Malaysia Mohd Hanif Abdul Rahman and Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

Sittwe and Rakhine regions are critical areas which house nearly 200,000 Rohingya refugees so far.

The Nautical Aliya vessel was expected to travel to Chittagong, Bangladesh after they finished unloading the goods.