MRA Launches Humanitarian Fund To Send Aid To Rohingyas In Myanmar

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Relief Agency (MRA) will channel monetary aid of US$11,207 (RM50,000) soon to the ethnic Rohinyas facing a humanitarian crisis in the Rakhine region, Myanmar. Its president Abd Razak Kechik said each family would receive RM300 to buy blankets, food and other necessities there. "We've found out there are enough food and other supplies there but they don't have the cash to purchase them. That's why we've collected money to help them," he told reporters at the launching of the Rohingya Humanitarian Fund, here, Thursday. He said efforts were also being made to send foodstuff and non-foodstuff items to the areas identified to have a big number of Rohingya refugees. Abd Razak said the humanitarian crisis there would become acute with the cold season hitting the region while the refugees did not have anywhere else to go to save their lives. He said the aid would be channelled through Muslim individuals in Myanmar who were free to move in the area as the gateway to the region was under tight control by the Myanmar government. Meanwhle, the MRA's Rohingya Humanitarian Fund targets to collect about RM500,000 to be channelled to the Rohingya refugees. Members of the public who wish to donate to the fund in the name of Malaysian Relief Agency can do so via Maybank account number 564098206365. (US$1 = RM4.46) -- BERNAMA