PUTRAJAYA, Feb 8 — Malaysia will channel over US$2 million (over RM8.6 million) to Turkey and Syria to help the victims of the strong earthquake that struck the two countries early Monday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Cabinet has agreed to Malaysia Government donating US$1 million for the purpose, while the other US$1 million would come from the Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.

At the same time, he said the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council had allocated RM1 million in humanitarian aid, mostly to also be channelled to Turkey dan Syria.

The strong 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit southern Turkey and northern Syria early Monday morning, bringing down buildings and killing thousands of people in the two countries. The tremors were reported to have been felt in Cyprus and Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Anwar said Malaysia would also deploy its second Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) to Turkey tonight to join in the search and rescue (SAR) operations there.

The team under the National Disaster Management Agency’s (NADMA) purview will comprise 70 members of SMART and the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department.

"This is because the first team has been so effective, the Turkish government requested for more,” he said. — Bernama