MALAYSIA READY TO AID INDONESIAN TSUNAMI VICTIMS

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia announced its readiness to send a
humanitarian aid mission to help victims of the tsunami that pounded several
Mentawai Islands in West Sumatra after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake had triggered
3-metre waves on Monday.

Defence Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said apart from Malaysia, foreign
missions like the international humanitarian aid mission, High Availability
Disaster Recovery (HADR) and United Nations World Food Programme were also ready
and waiting for the green light.

"We are prepared and ready to assist if we receive the green light from Jakarta.
We will not wait for them but instead will offer our services and if accepted we
will move in," he told reporters after a courtesy call by United States
Ambassador to Malaysia Paul W. Jones at his office here Wednesday.

During his visit Jones and Ahmad Zahid had also discussed preparations for US
State Secretary Hillary Clinton's visit to Malaysia with US Secretary of
Defence, Senator Robert Gates, soon.

Meanwhile, voluntary organisation MERCY Malaysia will deploy a two-member Rapid
Assessment Team to Padang, Indonesia in response to the 7.7-magnitude earthquake
and 15-foot high tsunami which struck Mentawai Islands recently.

In a statement here Wednesday, MERCY Malaysia said the team would be led by
MERCY Malaysia Executive Council Member, Norazam Ab Samah, accompanied by MERCY
Malaysia Medical Coordinator, Che Tah Hanafi.

"They will be conducting an on-the-ground assessment to determine the
humanitarian needs within the affected region," it said.

The team will leave for Padang, Indonesia on Thursday before making their way to
the Mentawai Islands.

MERCY Malaysia will continue to monitor the situation through on-the-ground
assessments to look into other areas of humanitarian assistance, it added.
-- BERNAMA