KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 — Malaysia will be sending a total of 100 containers with 1,358 tonnes of goods comprising various donations to Gaza, through the sixth humanitarian aid mission launched today.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi officiated at the flagging-off of the Malaysian 100-Container Emergency Humanitarian Aid Mission from Cairo to Gaza led by the Consultative Council of Malaysian Islamic Organisations (Mapim) at the Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Subang near here.

Ahmad Zahid said the Malaysian government is determined to defend the fate of the people of Gaza and Palestine in any situation, and will organise help at various levels involving agencies and organisations such as Mapim, Op Ihsan and others.

"This time, insya-Allah, 100 containers will be sent by Mapim with 1,358 tonnes of goods to be put into containers and sent (from Cairo) to Gaza.

"Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is also committed to helping Mapim deliver these goods which are largely bought in Egypt, especially in Cairo. So government-to-government affairs (G2G) will be managed by the prime minister himself,” Ahmad Zahid said when met by reporters after the flag-off.

Ahmad Zahid also said Anwar is expected to contact Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to discuss the Malaysian aid mission run by Mapim to facilitate the process of sending donations to Gaza.

"The prime minister will telephone President El-Sisi to get approval, so that this aid reaches its destination (Gaza),” said Ahmad Zahid.

At the Subang ceremony, Anwar was also present momentarily to give support to Mapim before he left for Kuantan, Pahang, on official business.

Meanwhile, the chief activist of Mapim Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby, who is also the head of the mission, said the special mission involved the delivery of 100 containers in the form of basic goods including wheat flour, food boxes, mother and baby items, which are worth RM12 million in total with all the items to be purchased in Cairo, Egypt before loading it into containers to be trucked overland into Gaza.

The donations for the aid mission also comes through joint funding of six NGOs led by Mapim in collaboration with Cinta Gaza Malaysia (CGM), Iman Care Malaysia, Pertubuhan Glocal Ihsan Malaysia, Federation of Islamic Associations New Zealand (FIANZ) and Al-Khair Foundation from the United Kingdom.

"This mission is a national effort organised by NGOs with the assistance of the Malaysian government, as proof that even though we are ‘dwarfs’ on the world map, we all have big hearts and never give up to defend Gaza,” he said.

The Malaysian 100-Container Emergency Humanitarian Aid Mission From Cairo to Gaza involves 20 members of the delegation who will be on the ground in Cairo for 10 days to make all the purchase, loading and delivery to the Rafah border. The delegation is expected to return three days before Aidilfitri. — Bernama