Nautical Aliya to arrive in Yangon port tomorrow

The 'Food Flotilla For Myanmar' vessel, the Nautical Aliya is scheduled to enter Yangon waters, Myanmar tonight.

"The volunteers are in high spirit as the vessel approaches Yangon tonight at about 11.30pm (Malaysian time).

"However, we can only enter the port tomorrow during high tide," said the head of the humanitarian aid mission, Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.

He said 500 tonnes of food and medical supplies would be handed over to the Myanmar government at the port tomorrow.

After that, the ship will continue to sail for three days before reaching Chittagong in Bangladesh on Feb 12," he told reporters on board the ship.

The mission which enters its sixth day, is bringing food, medical supplies, daily necessities, clothes and blankets to assist the Rohingya community.

Abdul Azeez said the volunteers will use the land route (130km) from Chittagong to Cox's Bazaar, before continuing the journey to refugee camps in Kutapalong and Nayapara which are sheltering more than 30,000 Rohingyas.

"Other teams are now in Bangladesh to identify the madrasahs or schools as venues to distribute the aid.

"We hope the Bangladeshi government will provide 'Visa On Arrival' for volunteers entering the country to assist ethnic Rohingyas."

He said more than 1,500 tonnes of food and medical supplies would be brought to the refugee camps using trailers as well as barges from Chittagong.

The mission, organised by 1Malaysia Putera Club (KP1M) and the Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organisation (Mapim), is joined by 195 volunteers from 12 countries comprising medical personnel, teachers, local and international media practitioners and members of non-governmental organisations. - BERNAMA