Myanmar flotilla: The aid, goods insufficient to meet demand - KP1M

Kelab Putera 1Malaysia vice-president Harridzs Mohan Abdulah said the goods and aid for the Food Flotilla Mission For Myanmar is not sufficient to meet the demands and needs of the Rohingya people.

“I don’t think its sufficient for the 60,000 people over there. We are bringing 500,000 of rice, medicines and the essential but It is not sufficient and we are still aiming to bring more in the second time,” he told Astro AWANI.

He said there are an estimated 100,000 Rohingya's living in Teknaf, Bangladesh.

The vessel bringing the goods can only accommodate 2,000 tonne.

He said, although there were aid and donations from corporate companies like Felda, Bernas and Southport, the KP1M had to purchase items as well for the mission.

He said they have secured a warehouse and are currently stocking up the aid.

The vessel is expected to sail from Port Klang to Myanmar on Feb 3.

Harridzs who was part of the Malaysian delegation which met the Myanmar representatives on Jan 18, said initially the Burmese government were sceptical about the mission.

“We could see the worries on their face when we recently visited them. But, in the end, they have agreed and the only issue now is the security in the Rakhine state,” he said.

He said the Myanmar government had given their verbal agreement to allow the vessel to be anchored at Yangon.

Harridz also does not discount the possibility that there could be a change in the Myanmar government’s tone.

“In the event there is a change we already have the contingency plan, we will go straight to Teknaf and we will transfer the goods from there to Rakhine state.

He also stressed that the goods and aid are not aimed at certain ethnic.

“This is a food aid and as far as we are concerned, we are focusing on all the needy people,” he said.

He add the Myanmar’s transport minister had also promised to sponsor the transportation from the port to the affected areas.

“We are only allowed to unload the goods but we already have our representatives at the area to witness the handing over of the goods,” he added.

The ‘Food Flotilla Mission For Myanmar’ is organised by KP1M, the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (MAPIM) and Turkiye Diyanet Vakfi (TDV).

Deploying the vessel Nautical Aliya, the mission will take 226 activists and Asean and international volunteers to the affected communities in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state.