KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 14 — Malaysia is trying to source alternative N95 respirators from China after the United States government ordered the manufacturer not to export these any longer, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today.

He said Malaysia previously received a shipment of KN95 respirators — a Chinese equivalent of the US NIOSH N95 rating — from China and would try to order more of these to make up for the N95 imports.

"Since the US have stopped exporting N95 masks we are now looking to China to get the KN95 masks to use in the future,” he said during his daily press conference.

He also said the respirators were among items most needed at the Health Ministry, in the event the public wished to donate personal protective equipment (PPE) towards efforts to contain the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Malaysia.

The US is one of the hardest hit nations from the Covid-19 outbreak with 23,649 deaths, a world-leading tally.

Its president, Donald J. Trump, invoked the 1950 Defense Production Act which gave the government "any or all authority” to stop the companies making the face masks from exporting the N95 respirators.

The ban was lifted on April 7 but it only allowed exports to Canada and South America.

Dr Noor Hisham said the Health Ministry has turned to China as they had initially gotten 100,000 pieces from Beijing.

"Previously, China had given us around 100,000 pieces of the KN95 masks of good quality that we could use. Since stocks are depleting we must try to source from other areas and make sure we have at least two weeks supply at hand at all times,” said Dr Noor Hisham.

He also thanked Malaysians who heard about the shortages in medical equipment for frontliners, and volunteered to make them.

He said if they want to know how to make them or how they can help they need only get in touch with the ministry and they will be guided accordingly.

While urging all frontliners not to be wasteful of the PPEs he also said Malaysia should look into being self-sustainable when it comes to medical equipment.

He said Malaysia produces more than half of the world’s glove supply and can be a leader in making masks as well. 

"We are the largest producers of gloves in the world at 63 per cent.

"So I can see that in fact we should be the ones taking the lead in this matter and every industry player can look into how we can enhance the production of PPEs,” he added.

"The masks for example we have 42 local companies selling the three-ply masks. But now, we have to look into how we can produce N95 masks for our own consumption also perhaps for export in the region and globally.”