KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 — Boxes of medical equipment aid from China are currently being sent to Hospital Sungai Buloh in Selangor, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Malaysia revealed today.

In a brief Facebook post, the embassy wrote: "Action without delay! The first batch of medical materials from China is on the way to Sungai Buloh Hospital.”

Attached with the Facebook post were photos of individuals loading on boxes to a lorry and showing the lorry on the road.

Each side of the lorry carried the same bilingual banner stating the Malay idiom Bukit Sama Didaki, Lurah Sama Diturun! which refers to the saying of going through times both good and bad together, with the Mandarin translation of the idiom also printed on the banner.

Also on the banner were the words written in Malay Perangi Covid-19 dengan kerjasama dan perpaduan (Fight Covid-19 with cooperation and unity) and Bantuan peralatan perubatan (Medical equipment aid), but with no translations to Mandarin.

The banner also bore the Chinese embassy’s logo and name, as well as the logos of the China Construction Bank.

The Facebook post has since received 3,600 "likes” at the time of writing this morning.

In an update posted this evening, the Chinese embassy said its ambassador to Malaysia, Bai Tian, attended the ceremony where this first batch of donated medical supplies was handed to Health Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Chen Chaw Min at Hospital Sungai Buloh.

The Chinese embassy said it managed to raise the supplies comprising 5,000 face masks and 10,000 surgical face shields in the hopes that these would assist Malaysia’s frontline medical personnel working to contain Covid-19 here.

Citing Bai Tian as saying that a donation of 3,500 Covid-19 laboratory test kits were also en route and expected to reach Malaysia next week, the embassy added that more medical supplies would be donated to Malaysia.

"Moreover, the Chinese government is actively collecting other medical materials which are immediately needed in Malaysia, such as face masks, personal protection equipment (PPE) and ventilators. More donations are to be expected to come soon.

"Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy is currently working in close collaboration with the Malaysian authorities, trying to open up a green channel between two countries for forthcoming donations and purchases of medical materials from China to Malaysia,” it said, adding that the Chinese embassy is encouraging Chinese companies based in either Malaysia or China to also make donations.

"Ambassador Bai also exchanged views with Dato’ Seri Dr. Chen Chaw Min on more cooperation initiatives regarding the COVID-19, including future donations to Malaysia, putting up video conferences between top Malaysian and Chinese health experts for experience sharing on COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment, as well as prevention and control,” the Chinese embassy said.

The Chinese embassy shared a picture of the boxes of medical supplies meant for Hospital Sungai Buloh. — Picture via Facebook

Yesterday, the embassy posted the message "Faced up with the #COVID19, when I just felt a bit relieved about my motherland, I began to worry for Malaysia. #StayStrongMalaysia! Your China friend is with You!”, along with a photo of its ambassador Bai Tian’s similar message.

On March 15, China’s ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian had in a lengthy article on Covid-19 wrote that he was touched by the sincere concern and generous support shown to China by people of different countries in the fight against the viral outbreak.

"In Malaysia, the government, social organisations and individuals have offered their helping hand to China and Chinese people. Some have donated materials and money, some have composed songs and made videos to boost Chinese people’s spirit. The donation can be priced yet the friendship in it is priceless.

"Every call of "China, stay strong”, every piece of aid, coming from our Malaysian friends, is a manifestation of true love and friendship, with the same spirit of the Malay idiom I like most — Bukit sama didaki, luruh sama dituruni,” he said then.

On March 16, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein in a Facebook post said that he had met with Bai Tian, noting that the ambassador pledged to provide medical equipment to Malaysia to help with the Covid-19 fight.

"Based on the special relationship we both share and China’s best experiences in tackling the #coronavirus, he has pledged to assist Malaysia by supplying medical equipment most needed to our nation such as ventilators, face masks, PCR testing kits and sanitisers,” Hishammuddin wrote.

Today, Hishammuddin took to Facebook to pen a note of thanks to the Chinese government for quickly delivering its first batch of medical aid donation, noting that it has been just three days after he had discussed with Bai Tian about the possibility of Chinese aid to cope with the Covid-19 outbreak.

Hishammuddin also said he had written to his counterpart in China to request for aid in terms of face masks, hand sanitisers and Covid-19 test kits.