KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia has pledged an initial sum of RM10 million in humanitarian aid to support the people of Myanmar who are affected by Friday’s devastating earthquake, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
As a further sign of Malaysia’s responsibility and solidarity as the Asean 2025 Chair, he said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan will also lead a humanitarian mission to Myanmar next week.
“The visit is to reaffirm Malaysia’s support for the ongoing search and rescue efforts. Teams from the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) have been deployed and are now operating on the ground –standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow responders at the frontline of rescue and relief operations,” Anwar said in a statement today.
Fifty personnel from the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) under NADMA left for Naypyidaw, Myanmar, this morning to join in the search and rescue (SAR) operations for the earthquake victims.
Anwar stressed that the spirit of togetherness and collective action among Asean member countries is crucial to handling such humanitarian situations.
He said Malaysia would continue to discuss and cooperate closely with its Asean partners to coordinate aid for Myanmar.
“Malaysia remains unwavering in its commitment to regional unity and to advancing Asean’s humanitarian agenda — grounded in compassion, shared responsibility and solidarity,” he said.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, with Mandalay, Bago, Magway, northeast Shan state, Sagaing and Naypyidaw being among the worst hit regions. The tremors also rattled neighbouring countries, including Thailand.
More than 1,600 people have been confirmed killed in Myanmar, while in Bangkok, at least a dozen people have been died in collapsed high-rise building that was under construction. – March 30, 2025