Aceh Aid Shows Close Malaysia-Indonesia Ties

JOHOR BAHRU (Malaysia), Jan 9 (Bernama) - The concern of Malaysians in helping the Aceh earthquake victims shows the close ties between Malaysia and Indonesia. The Indonesian consul general in Johor Bahru, Haris Nugroho said the people in Aceh's Pidie Jaya district desperately needs help. "Many schools and over 40 mosques in Pidie Jaya were destroyed in the earthquake," he told reporters after launching the Johor Corporation-Johor Media Club (JCorp-KMJ) Aceh Earthquake Humanitarian Aid mission, here on Jan 8. Aid in the form of construction materials such as cement and bricks are required to repair the mosques for used by some 50,000 Muslims in Pidie Jaya. At the event, a humanitarian aid fund was launched by JCorp president and chief executive officer, Kamaruzzaman Abu Kassim, who was representating Johor Menteri Besar, Mohamed Khaled Nordin. The humanitarian aid fund was to help Aceh following the 6.4 magnitude earthquake last month which killed over 100 people and made thousands homeless. Meanwhile, KMJ president Mohd Fauzi Ishak said at least RM50,000 (about US$11,166) is needed to repair the mosque in Gampong Reudep, Pante Raja, Pidie Jaya. Donations can be made to the account of JCorp-KMJ Prihatin Aceh at 551016711699 (Maybank) while companies can connect Mohd Fauzi at 016-7206365 or Shahrul Hassan at 017-7381668. -- BERNAMA