STA, STIDC donate PPE worth RM2 mln to help state battle Covid-19
KUCHING: Sarawak Timber Association (STA) has joined hands with Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) to help the state battle the Covid-19 pandemic through the donation of personal protective equipment (PPE) worth RM2 million.
The donation provides medicalgraded critical PPE including KN95 medical protective masks, disposable medical masks, medical goggles, face shields, medical head covers, medical vinyl examination gloves, isolation gowns (non-sterile), protective medical coveralls (sterile) and medical boots covers.
“Specifically, the PPE are very much needed by our frontliners such as doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers treating Covid-19 patients, especially those who are in intensive care units,” STA said in a press statement yesterday.
The donation was presented to Sarawak health director Dr Chin Zin Hing by STIDC general manager Hashim Bojet as well as STA Permanent Council member Datuk Amar Abdul Hamed Sepawi, its CEO Annie Ting in a handover ceremony at the old Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) building in Petra Jaya here.
The ceremony was witnessed by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman.
“STA is pleased to say that members of STA are in solidarity with the Sarawak government in fighting Covid-19, where contributions in cash and in kind have also been provided by its various members including KTS Group, Rimbunan Hijau Group, Samling Group, Shin Yang Group, Solid Timber Group, Ta Ann Group and WTK Group, to name a few,” the statement said.
“STA hopes that these contributions from the Sarawak timber industry will support surging healthcare needs and assist to relieve the shortage of PPE and critical medical equipment, while ensuring that our frontliners, who are working tirelessly around the clock to contain the pandemic, are wellprotected.
“We are in unknown territories. It is imperative that we, as stakeholders, work together in unity and determination to weather this unprecedented storm. Both STIDC and STA hope that this donation will serve its purpose in preventing the spread of Covid-19 and save lives,” it added.
STA urges all industry players and the public to play their part in response to the Sarawak government’s call, and adhere to the precautionary guidelines issued by the Sarawak Health Department including maintaining social distancing as well as having the highest personal hygiene standards.
“Let’s help defeat Covid-19,” STA said.
Uggah was quoted as saying that: “This is indeed an exemplary act of the industry players in Sarawak and I hope there will be more aid pouring in from other sectors, from all walks of life, in any form and by any means, just to tell everyone that we are all in this together to fight against Covid-19.”
The PPE were ordered from China in middle of March this year and arrived yesterday via sea cargo at Kuching Senari Port. Receiving the boxes of PPE on Tuesday (April 21) upon arrival at the Kuching Senari Port was Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan. They were handed over to the State Health Department yesterday.
The said PPE are the muchneeded medical disposables by the frontliners in discharging their daily duties to save lives in fighting against the Covid-19 pandemic.