ANWAR HOLDS TALKS WITH MYANMAR LEADER ON EARTHQUAKE RELIEF EFFORTS

From Kenny Teng Khoon Hock

BANGKOK, April 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday met Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of Myanmar's State Administration Council, in Bangkok to discuss efforts to restore normalcy in the country following the devastating earthquake on March 28.

Anwar, who is on a two-day working visit to Thailand, said he and Min Aung Hlaing had a frank and constructive discussion about the humanitarian needs of the Myanmar people.

“This evening, I met with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the State Administration Council of Myanmar.

“We held a frank and constructive discussion focused on the urgent humanitarian needs of the Myanmar people, including the immediate deployment of a field hospital, as well as the importance of returning the country to normalcy,” Anwar said in a post on his official Facebook account today.

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra also attended the meeting between Anwar and Min Aung Hlaing which began at 3.30pm and lasted more than one hour.

Anwar also welcomed recent steps to ease tensions in Myanmar, including the release of 4,800 detainees on Wednesday night.

“Such gestures are a meaningful signal. We continue to encourage all parties to engage seriously in the interest of Myanmar’s stability and the well-being of its people,” he said.

Meanwhile, Anwar also said he will meet with representatives of Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) tomorrow.

It was reported that the head of Myanmar’s military government granted amnesty to nearly 4,900 prisoners to mark the country’s traditional New Year, state-run media reported on Thursday. An independent watchdog noted that at least 22 of those released were political detainees.

For the record, the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) departed for Naypyidaw, Myanmar, on March 30, two days after a devastating earthquake struck the conflict-torn country.

The team carried out a humanitarian aid mission and participated in search and rescue (SAR) operations for earthquake victims.

Braving aftershocks, the Malaysian team conducted SAR operations amid collapsed infrastructure and limited resources. Their mission led to the recovery of seven victims, including one survivor found alive under rubble.

The impoverished Southeast Asian nation is reeling from the destruction caused by a massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck its central region, home to 17 million people, on March 28. A total of 3,649 people were killed, 5,018 were injured, and 145 remain missing.

-- BERNAMA