Indonesia accepts, appreciates search, rescue help from M’sia

PUTRAJAYA: The Government of Indonesia has expressed appreciation and agreed to receive search and rescue assistance offered by Malaysia for earthquake and tsunami victims in Sulawesi, according to a statement by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) yesterday.

Nadma said it will be responsible for coordinating all forms of assistance Malaysia will provide to Indonesia to assist in the search and rescue operations of the victims, and to ease the burden on the affected families.

“Through a telephone conversation earlier today (Monday) between Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Indonesian Vice President Dr Muhammad H. Jusuf Kalla, the Malaysian government has offered assistance for search and rescue missions through the Malaysian Search and Rescue Team (SMART), Nadma, as well as financial assistance to ease the burden of the affected victims,” added the statement.

According to Nadma, the Emergency Medical Team (EMT) is also ready to be mobilised at any time, and some Malaysian non-governmental organisations such as the Red Crescent Society, MERCY Malaysia and Islamic Relief Malaysia (IRM) have also expressed their willingness to extend humanitarian aid through their partners in Indonesia.

“Two ERAT (ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team) members from Malaysia have been sent to Sulawesi to join the ERAT team, while Nadma is currently coordinating with the AHA Center, RMAF (Royal Malaysian Airforce) and the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) Subang for the mobilisation of relief goods from the Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA),” it said.

An earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale at 5.02 pm Indonesian time on Sept 28 shook Central Sulawesi, causing three-meter-high tsunamis on the beaches of Palu, Talise and Donggala. Bernama