With COVID-19 Under Control, China Sends Medical Supplies to Malaysia (Updated)
Updated on 20 March 2020: The medical supplies sent from China has arrived in Malaysia with a little note.
Although China’s Wuhan suffered the majority of the COVID-19 outbreak, the almost draconian measures implemented and enforced by their government meant that the country has passed its peak in mid-February and is recovering slowly.
While COVID-19 cases in China decline, cases in the rest of the world grows, including in Malaysia.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country has been increasing exponentially, putting stress on hospitals and healthcare professionals.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has requested help from China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in dealing with the outbreak.
China has pledged to supply necessary medical equipment to Malaysia. This includes ventilators, face masks, PCR testing kits, and sanitizers.
Hishammuddin notes in a Facebook post that he will be putting the request in formal writing so that Malaysians will be given priority and be protected.
Malaysia and China have strong ties and will strengthen cooperation in all fields but focus on the fight against COVID-19 as their most pressing task.
On 19 March 2020, the supplies that China sent arrived on Malaysian shores.
On the boxes of supplies were notes in Bahasa Malaysia, reading: “Berat sama dipikul, ringan sama dijinjing” and “Bukit sama didaki, lurah sama dituruni”. The messages conveys a sense of camaraderie and teamwork between the two countries.
This isn’t the first time China has sent out medical supplies with a note to aid and cheer on other countries.
China’s medical aid to Italy and Japan included similar messages in Italian and Japanese respectively.
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Anne is an advocate of sustainable living and the circular economy, and has managed to mum-nag the team into using reusable containers to tapau food. She is also a proud parent of 4 cats and 1 rabbit.