The Islamic Relief Malaysia (IRM) has launched an Emergency Appeal Fund to help the Rohingyas who are facing a humanitarian crisis in the Rakhine region, in Myanmar.

In a statement here today, IRM said the crisis, which claimed many lives, had left over 852,000 Rohingya Muslims in need of food and home.

"Although Myanmar rarely makes the headlines, the United Nations (UN) estimated more than 240,000 people have been relocated since 2011. It is reported that over 140,000 people have become refugees in Rakhine," it said.

IRM began providing humanitarian aid to the Rohingyas since 2008. For this latest crisis, IRM had distributed emergency aid, such as packed food and toiletries.

Schools are also rebuilt and IRM also provides healthcare services using boats as mobile clinics for the people in remote areas.

IRM said according to the World Food Programme, there were now 162,000 people facing food crisis and 78,000 people in need of immediate food supply.

Members of the public who wish to donate can do so via http://bit.ly/IslamicReliefMalaysiaDonateOnline (online), http://bit.ly/IslamicReliefMalaysiaDonateOffline (offline) or through monthly auto-debit deduction from their Maybank account.

For more information, they could log on to http://bit.ly/AutoDebitGeneralQuestion or download the Islamic Relief Malaysia application by typing "IRMalaysia" on Apple Store and Google Play.

Cash donation can be made via automated teller machines (ATM) under the name of ISLAMIC RELIEF MALAYSIA at 5621 4270 8704 for Maybank account, Maybank Islamic (5621 4270 8704), Bank Islam (12 029 01 006564 3), CIMB Islamic (860 2073818), Affin Islamic (10 671 000278 4) or Bank Rakyat (11080 10000 35).

Alternatively, the Islamic Relief Malaysia or Charity Shoppe offices received donations via cash, cheques or credit cards.

The public is advised to email name, MyKad number, contact number, address, email address and receipts to [email protected] for reference. --Bernama