NAYPYIDAW, April 6 — The Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART), sent to assist earthquake victims in Myanmar, will be home Monday.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the search and rescue (SAR) operation by SMART has to be stopped as no more survivors have been found trapped under the rubble.
“SMART found only one person alive, and all others have died,” he told Bernama before concluding his official visit to Myanmar yesterday.
The one-day humanitarian mission was led by his Thai counterpart Maris Sangiampongsa.
According to Mohamad, the chairman of the Myanmar National Administrative Council Min Aung Hlaing and Foreign Minister U Than Shwe also expressed their appreciation to Malaysia for SMART’s efficiency in carrying out the SAR operation in the country as well as the distribution of other humanitarian aid.
Mohamad said this was expressed during his meeting with Aung Hlaing and Than Shwe here.
He said SMART was sent to Sagaing, which was the worst-hit area because the team had adequate SAR equipment.
“I was informed that the people there have much respect and admiration for our SMART team that they have asked our team not to return to Malaysia,” he said.
On March 30, Malaysia sent two RMAF A400M aircraft carrying 50 SMART personnel, as well as teams under the National Disaster Management Agency to Myanmar for the SAR operation.
SMART successfully pulled out seven victims, including one survivor, from the rubble of the earthquake in Sagaing, Myanmar, from last Monday.
— Bernama
